Something is Stewing in Richmond

Richmond, Virginia is the promised land for festival lovers. Within the region, or within easy driving distance, you can find festivals dedicated to just about anything...ethnic foods, music types, sports, and individual edible items that are very special to our region. In fact, we have festivals for certain meat products (cough...pork), fruits and vegetables (peanuts, tomatoes, apples, etc) and much more. This weekend boasts two regional favorites...the Brunswick Stew Festival and the Urbanna Oyster Festival.


Brunswick stew is something that many Southerners hold sacred. In fact, recipes are kept secret until they need to be passed down to the next generation. My father inherited such a recipe from a long line of Scoutmasters that have used this stew for troop fundraisers. I, of course, think it is the best stew ever...but I'm not exaggerating...In fact, Virginians take their Brunswick Stew so seriously that we even claim that we invented it. I am one of those Virginians, so, it seems is the person in charge of placing road markers along state highways as evidenced below...

Ingredients for the stew vary as to where you get your recipe, as to how it is prepared. Also, whether you prepare your stew over a gas flame or fire can make a difference in the way the stew turns out. You can try a smattering of stew types and flavors at the Brunswick Stew Festival at the Farmer's Market this weekend. I am a purist but really do enjoy seeing what spin folks put on their stew. The festival is free to attend but stew samples cost $1 or so per sample. Stew can also be purchased in larger quantities while supplies last.

The Urbanna Oyster Festival is also a timeless tradition in the Richmond area. Urbanna, a small town on the Chesapeake Bay, is part of an area popular with urbanites and suburbanites for summer time fun but the crowds flock in for this fall festival. You can try oysters prepared any kind of way you can imagine; raw, steamed, fried, stewed, etc...(imagine Bubba's LONG description of the many ways to cook shrimp in Forest Gump and apply that verbiage here but change shrimp to oyster). There are plenty of goodies, food and otherwise, for folks who don't relish the oyster. There are crafts, holiday shopping, music and friends! A good time to be had by all!

There is a lot to do in the River City! Enjoy this beautiful, crisp fall weather we are experiencing. Winter will be here soon enough...and we can hope it won't be like last year's winter!

Coming Soon: The Richmond Christmas Parade!!!

Relocation Conference and Vegas Goodness

This will be a very self-indulgent post, if I am being honest with myself...I just returned from a relocation conference in Las Vegas where I learned a lot and feel armed with information to tackle problems and improve the services we offer to all of you! We discussed current market conditions and how it affects real estate today and tomorrow. I travelled to Vegas as part of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World which is an exclusive real estate broker network that allows us to assist buyers and sellers ANYWHERE in the World. Please let us help you find that 2nd home in Barbados, help you move to Vancouver for your job or help you sell your home in Arizona now that your kids have grown up and moved out and you would like a smaller place. Contact us directly at 804-249-3505 or by email at relo@htrsi.com and we can make this a smooth process for you and your family!

Is it Springtime Yet???

Good Morning, Central Virginia...the time has almost come...

I will say that the winters past were probably just as long as this one, I guess I am just more ready for Spring than usual. I am ready for not looking like an eskimo when I go out for a run, I am ready for the forsythia and azaleas to bloom (they're trying, I can tell) and finally I am just ready for sundresses and pretty shoes!

Well, coming up are a few token reminders that spring is on the way to Richmond, even if it doesn't always feel like it!!

1. A Taste of Hanover: This annual fundraiser for Hanover ARC is always a hit! This year it is up 95N at Bass Pro Shops and different Hanover culinary establishments will provide a smattering of delectible treats all to raise money to improve the lives of people with disabilities. It is a good date night or an evening out with the girls! Tickets are $20 for adults and include food, live music and beer and wine tasting! Date/Time info is Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 from 5-8pm. Call 804-798-2400 for more information.

2. The Monument Avenue 10K- this has been mentioned in a previous post...but believe you me, it is not too late to join in on the FUN! This is how Richmond parties, folks! There are hot and sexy runners (including moi), crowds cheering (even if they don't know any runners) and great bands that set up along the course! It is a good time to be had by all. And traffic is blocked for so long in the city that if you live there you might as well join in because you're not going anywhere anyway! Not to mention, sniff sniff, that this might be the last time it will be called the UKROP'S Monument Avebue 10K as the unthinkable has happened and Ukrop's has sold out. (An era has ended...)

3. The Kite Festival: Henrico's Dorey Park features a kite festival this Saturday, March 6th 2010. Its free although they will have concessions available. But bring a blanket, a frisbee and a picnic and let the kids run around and enjoy the day and all of the great kites that are sure to come out! The weather should be wonderful. 10-4pm at Dorey Park in Eastern Henrico.

4. The Church Hill Irish Festival: DO NOT MISS THIS! Located just beside St John's Church in Church Hill (hence the name), the festival includes great food, music, dancing and cultural demonstrations...boy, do I ever want to learn how to riverdance...I would be the Lordess of the Dance...but I'd probably break a leg! Anyway, if you want to go head over on Saturday and Sunday, March 20th-21st (10-7pm and 10-6pm)! I can't remember if there was an entrance fee but its usually crowded so leave the kids at home so bring a leash! (Sorry if I'm not allowed to say that)

5. Last, and certainly not least, both Maymont and Lewis Ginter Botannical Garden are gearing up for spring! Maymont will shortly be bursting into bloom and Lewis Ginter will be hosting their annual event, "A Million Blooms." It is lovely to take the family or a lovely date with your special someone! The grounds at Maymont are free (the house tours and petting zoo have fees or suggested donation requests) and Lewis Ginter has an entrance fee.

So, if you're new to town check out anything that peaks your interest and if you're not new to town then you too should take advantage of the great things the area has to offer! I think that the people who have been here the longest are often the one's who take the most for granted!

**7. And if this is too "girly" a list for you, coming up on April 26th at the Richmond Coliseum you will find the stars of the WWE and Monday Night Raw!!! =) ***

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

So as clever and witty as my last post was regarding Richmonders and our reactions to snow and all forms of frozen precipitation...it is less funny now beacuse it is soooooo true. Case in point, this blog is supposed to be about happenings and cool things to see and so about town...but...since inclement weather has struck and Jack Frost thinks that Richmond is really Vermont NOTHING has happened in our beautiful city. Children finally went back to school today only to have more bad weather threatening the safety of our little ones tonight. Some schools systems have started cancelling school ahead of time in anticipation of more snow...

So as annoyed as people are and as much as they claim that they are ready for no more snow...I do NOT agree. This is so rare in Richmond that I, for one, am enjoying sitting in my warm house, catching up on the DVR and watching the snow pile up. Now if Spring thinks it should wait to show its lovely face until later than usual then we may have a little problem. I will take the cold as long as we have snow. After the snow, I am ready for springtime once again...

Go figure...3-6 inches of snow tonight and tomorrow (Tues and Wed) and it is supposed to be in the high 40's-low 50's this weekend. Gotta love the Old Dominion!

Pardon me for borrowing the above picture of students frollicking in the snow on the University of Richmond Campus!

Richmond Gets Bad Weather

So, for those of you not from the area, let me open by saying that Richmond is a panic-driven city. Heavy rain, hint of snow...people are packed into grocery stores buying bread and milk and who knows what else might possibly be needed when we are snowed into our houses for weeks on end. Now, does that ever really happen? Not exactly. We got 10-12 inches in December which is A LOT for us and the city was indeed paralyzed. But weather predictions right now are on again off again with the amount of snow we should be expecting that I wonder if we'll get any at all. (A sure way to guarantee we will...)

But I thought I would share with you the truth about Richmond and bad weather...I am sharing an article on Richmonders and weather because it is SOOOOOOOOO TRUE!!!!

Enjoy!

http://www2.richmond.com/content/2010/jan/27/snow-coming/
Snow is Coming!
Karri Peifer

Published: January 27, 2010
According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch and every meteorologist in town, Richmond is going to get a nice snowfall this weekend … up to a foot, some people say. The snow is supposed to start as early as Friday afternoon and continue into Saturday.
In case you're new to Richmond, let me tell you how we do it here.
Someone somewhere says snow is coming to Central Virginia.
We Richmonders start paying attention.
Someone says it's coming to Richmond.
We Richmonders really start paying attention.
Someone brandishes the word "accumulation."
Done. Finished. Over. We who call Richmond home all-out lose our minds. In the case of this snow, it happens like this:
Tuesday morning: The word "accumulation" is used.
Tuesday afternoon: Accumulation confirmed. All weekend plans put on stand-by or out-right canceled.
Tuesday evening: First trip to supermarket for bread, milk, wine, beer and cookie dough.
Wednesday morning / afternoon: Calls around town for sleds begin (for the record, Richmond.com is one step ahead. No one has them; Pleasant's is expecting a shipment on Friday).
Wednesday evening: Local news does a story about the run on supermarkets for bread and milk. Second trip to supermarket for extra bread and milk, plus frozen pizzas and non-perishables, because you never know.
Thursday morning / afternoon: Spend workday obsessively checking the forecast. More calls for sleds. Search online for sleds, but decide against them because you can't believe how much sleds actually cost.
Thursday evening: Meet friends out for drinks or dinner because you never know when you'll get out again. Realize you forgot to buy bagels. How could you forget bagels? Third trip to supermarket.
Friday morning: Alternate staring out window for snow and consulting forecast for exact snow start time. Cancel the rest of weekend plans.
Friday afternoon: Weather.com reports that it is snowing in your area. Run to window. Spend at least one hour yelling at weather.com because it is clearly not snowing. Ask boss about company inclement weather policy. Complain about said policy. Wait an hour; ask boss if company is closing early.
Friday evening: Fourth trip to supermarket on the way home for last-minute necessities, like chocolate and fancy hot cocoa. Alternate staring out window and watching local news for exact snow start time. Watch the Closings scroll to see if your work is closed on Monday, because you never know.
Friday night: Snow finally begins. Call/text all of your friends and family to see if it's snowing in their area and to make sure they're OK in the storm. Update Facebook status to reflect snowfall in case you missed anyone. Order pizza so you don't have to break into rations too soon.
Saturday morning: Marvel at snowfall. Fling pets / children into the snow so they can marvel and so you have pictures for your Facebook page.
Saturday afternoon: Drive or trudge to nearest hill and attempt to sled on a cookie sheet/shower curtain/trashcan lid/pool float.
Saturday evening: Meet friends for out for drinks or dinner to celebrate snow.
Sunday: Eat leftover pizza and stare out window, watching snow melt. Obsessively watch Closings list. Feel happy when the county you once lived in announces closing and then sad because you never became a teacher and now you have to go out, clean off the car and then go to work tomorrow. Plus you've got all that bread and milk to eat.