RVA February Picks

Last week, Husband and I were discussing Valentine's Day plans. I am the planner of our relationship (duh), but I told him that I would much prefer to not plan our V-Day activity for once.

"I'm terrible at thinking of things to do!" he lamented.

I countered with, "Come on, we've been married for 7 years. You know me by now. What do I like to do?"

"Run, run, run," he said.

That's true, but there are plenty of other things that I love to do in our fair city of RVA. In fact, there is often so much going on in just the arts and cultural world that I don't have nearly enough time or let's face it - money - to partake of everything that I want to. Let's not even talk about the food, festival, beer, and wine scenes.

Run, run, run has been all I've talked about thus far in the revival of the blog too. So I thought I might start to try to do a regular entry that highlights a few activities and a restaurant or two to try out in the coming month.

After all, the blog is called run, eat, play RVA.

So, I present to you my RVA picks for February.

Pick 1 - Science Museum of Virginia: The Blackbird Cometh
First two weeks of February

This might be slightly biased as this is my place of employment, but I'm putting it here anyway because when else will you ever get the opportunity to see the world's fastest production plane EVER, used to spy on the USSR during the Cold War, put into a 100-year old train station concourse ship-in-a-bottle-style and then hung from the ceiling very very carefully?

The answer is never. I don't know much 'bout engineering and math (I'm a squishy floofy liberal arts person) but I do know that this entire process is an incredible feat of both - and pretty darn cool to watch even for us plebeians.

Test suspension of the plane will start next week before it is permanently installed, but any day is a great one to come check out the action. Here is today's view - they're working on reassembling the plane - check out the sparks on the left under the wing.

Pro tip: While you're at the Museum, check out a film in the Dome, catch a Rat Basketball game, and make a bee buzzer in the Art Lab (I was the hand model for the instruction chart!).


Pick 2 - Richmond Ballet's Romeo + Juliet
February 12, 13, & 14

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Brett Bonda, Managing Director of the Richmond Ballet, speak at a Lunch Break Science lecture here at the Museum. I've been a big fan of the Richmond Ballet since I moved here 9 (!!) years ago. In fact, one of the first real "fancy" dates that Husband took me on was to go see the Richmond Ballet's production of The Nutcracker in 2006.

But as Brett will be quick to tell you, the Ballet is much more than The Nutcracker- and he's right. These dancers are amazing, phenomenally talented athletes and watching them in the up close and personal Studio series productions is a real treat. They make everything look easy, which is exactly why ballet is so very difficult. Now that I myself am something of an athlete, they amaze me even more.

Also a real treat? The once-a-season big, lavish stage production that isn't Nutcracker. This year's production is Romeo + Juliet, playing very fittingly over Valentine's Day weekend. Even more perfect? Newlywed Richmond Ballet company dancers Valerie Tellmann-Henning and Kirk Henning (whose wedding featured a groomsman dance that propelled them to You Tube fame) are stepping into the roles of the title pair.

All together now - awwwwwwwwwwww!

Brett's lecture reawakened my admiration and love for the ballet and I have since managed to convince Husband that we simply must go see Romeo + Juliet for Valentine's Day. I hope I've convinced you too. If you're a runner, you'll be amazed at the athleticism and precision of the finally honed machine that is a dancer. If you're not a runner, you'll just enjoy looking at all those beautiful machines in their tights...

...and the costumes, and the sets, and the live orchestral accompaniment, and everything else that makes a night at the ballet captivating.

Pro tip: Ticket prices can seem a bit eye popping at first. If you're looking for less expensive options, sit upstairs and don't be afraid to sit in the less-expensive second tier seats. You'll still have a great view of the entire stage and the orchestra pit, as long as you don't sit too far to either side. My favorite spot is dead center of the first row of second tier - lots of leg room, great view, and cheap(ish).


Pick 3 - Richmond Symphony's Rush Hour at Hardywood Series: Stravinsky, Strauss, & Beethoven
February 18

One of the greatest conundrums for symphony orchestra management the world over has been trying to figure out how to make symphony concerts seem less stuffy, boring, intellectual, elitist, etc. All kinds of gimmicks strategies have been deployed in the quest to make symphonies cool.

It's been a tough road.

This latest attempt by Richmond Symphony, however, is working. Plop your orchestra among the barrels (literally)  in one of the hottest craft breweries in Virginia, shorten the concert format to an hour, offer a single low ticket price, and allow your audience to talk amongst themselves and relax while they enjoy a beer and the music.

Voila - sold out concerts.

Steven Smith conducts the Richmond Symphony at the
January Rush Hour concert at Hardywood Craft Brewery.

Husband and I attended the January concert, which sold out a week in advance. Don't expect to sit down; the orchestra is squeezed into the cask room (technical term?) and there is room for about 30 chairs which all get spoken for pretty quickly. If you want to pay special attention to a piece, you hang out in standing room only in back of the cask room and if you don't want to pay rapt attention, you head to the tasting room where you can still hear the music in the background but are free to socialize. I admit to paying rapt attention to 2 of the 4 pieces in January and spending the rest of my time chatting with former coworkers and other friends that I ran into purely by coincidence.

This is a great option for those who might not think that a symphony concert is up their alley- it's a no pressure, casual environment where you can pay as much, or as little, attention to the concert as you want to. It's only an hour long and the price is unbeatable at $15. And if you end up hating it, at least there is beer.

(But you won't hate it.)

Pro tip: Parking at Hardywood can be tricky for event nights. Try to get there at least 30 minutes early. If you want one of those coveted chairs, better make it 45 minutes at least.

Pick 4 - Virginia Museum of Fine Arts: Rodin Evolution of a Genius
Through March 13

Just about everybody knows this guy:

The Thinker at the Musee Rodin in Paris
(September 2013 visit)

But do you know the guy behind The Thinker?

Auguste Rodin was a fascinating figure for many reasons and the VMFA exhibit does a great job in giving you an inside look at his revolutionary (for the time) artistic process. For example, did you know that Rodin wasn't the one hanging out with the chisel and granite or casting his creations? Rodin actually completed his work in clay and then employed a whole workshop of highly skilled artisans who cast and chiseled his clay models into the bronzes, plasters, and marbles that usually see. I was very surprised (and slightly disappointed) to learn that; I'd always imagined Rodin sitting at the base of the Gates of Hell, chisel in hand with brow furrowed, trying to decide his next move.

He was also a big recycler - using figures and body parts modeled for previous projects to Frankenstein together new works. As you move through the exhibit, it becomes a fun game to spot the recurring cast of characters and limbs.

Even if artistic process doesn't exactly inflame your passion, you should take the time to go check out this fantastic exhibition, which features many pieces from the Musée Rodin in Paris. Per usual, VMFA delivers us humble Richmonders a once in a lifetime chance to have a personal encounter with master pieces that others travel thousands of miles to see.

I left with a new vision of Rodin (covered in clay and plaster dust; no chisel) and an education on the technique of sculpture, along with an tongue-in-cheek and vastly overpriced but irresistible pad of Post-Its from the exhibit shop, featuring The Thinker and what else - thought bubbles.

I haven't been able to bring myself to use them.

Detail from a bronze cast of The Kiss

Pro tip: Though it closes in March, I recommend going now before everyone else realizes that they've procrastinated too long and are about to miss their chance. The audio tour (free from the iTunes app store) really adds to your understanding of the exhibit. Download it before you go, because there is little to no cell phone reception in the exhibit itself.


Restaurant Pick - Whisk

Because delicious, spot-on croissants and coffee await.

But don't roll up post-run in your sweaty clothes... you will immediately feel out of place and underdressed. The café space is small, white, clean, and pretty quiet even when the seats are full. To give you a feel for the vibe, when I was there, a guy wearing a suit at a table nearby was eating his muffin with a fork.

To say I felt very conspicuous with my unwashed hair, leggings, and sweater is an understatement. A grungy, casual coffee spot where you can blend in and barely hear your conversation over the roar of the grinder (a la Lift) this is not. But that's part of what makes it a nice addition to my rotation of breakfast spots. Just wash your hair, put on some real clothes, and enjoy a perfect croissant or breakfast soufflé.

I was dying to take home some macaroons which called to me from the cast for the entire duration of my hour-long breakfast date, but I managed to ignore their siren call. I don't think I'll be able to do that next time.

Restaurant Week is Upon Us!

Things have been heavy lately... so let's take a break and talk about something everyone loves:

Food. Good food.

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating." -  Luciano Pavarotti

I'm more than happy to take Pavarotti's advice and devote my attention to one of my favorite Richmond dining events: the biannual Richmond Restaurant Week, held once in the fall (usually in October) and once in spring (usually in April). This spring, it will be held from April 22 - April 28.

Admittedly, when I moved to Richmond I was not very adventurous when it came to eating out. Being the Planny McPlanerston that I am, the thought of going to a local restaurant with a menu that I had never seen before in my life gave me heart palpitations. Thankfully, my lovely work wife Allison began to coax me out of my terror and having the great taste that she does, introduced me to a few of my now-favorite Richmond haunts (Cafe Rustica, for instance). With the help of my current group of coworkers, my palette has expanded even further and these days I am a dedicated  localvore when it comes to restaurants. In fact, if someone suggests that we eat at a chain restaurant while in Richmond, I generally just gape at them for a minute because I can't imagine that anyone would prefer a chain when we are surrounded by what seems like hundreds of awesome locally owned options.

For me, Richmond Restaurant Week is the perfect excuse to eat out as many times as possible during one week and add to my list of go-to dining spots. The gist of the week is simple (from RRW website):

• Area Chefs create a three-course prixe fixe menu and offer it all week for $25.13.
• $2.13 of each meal goes to FeedMore, the umbrella organization for the Central Virginia Food Bank and Meals of Wheels.
• Celebrate Richmond as a great food town!

In other words: eat in some fabulous restaurants for a reasonable price and help people in need.

Pretty great, right?

Although last Saturday was the first time I ever employed a race-day strategy, I can't say the same for Restaurant Week. As soon as I learn what week it will fall in, I start to plot and plan. With so many participating restaurants, it's really hard to narrow down which to choose (my wallet and my pants will only stretch but so far), so I base my restaurant choices on the following factors:

1. Is the cuisine something I like or have always wanted to try? Obviously going to a place that has a menu you are interested in is your top priority.
2. Have I been there before? I try to use this opportunity to test out places that I have heard or read about but just haven't gotten to yet. Plus, at $25.13 a person, if you end up hating the place (which I feel is highly unlikely anyway), it won't be that big of deal, whereas if I went and spent $100 on dinner for two and wasn't wowed, I would feel pretty annoyed.
3. What is the price range of the menu when it's not Restaurant Week? If you can go to the restaurant any old time and get a similar meal for a similar price, to me it's not worth it. I'm going for the multiple-dollar-sign rated restaurants so I can get the most bang for my buck - you know, the ones that I probably couldn't afford to patronize but once in a blue moon otherwise. I try to stick to restaurants where the entrees are in the $20-$30 range.
4. Do they take reservations? Obviously, participating restaurants are absolutely swamped during this time. Being a highly impatient person, I do not like to wait around to eat. The fact of the matter is that I turn into a raving b*tch when I get hungry, and nobody needs to see that. Therefore, if the place doesn't take reservations, I'm probably not going to go there during Restaurant Week. 

Once I've narrowed down to about 5-7 restaurants, I poll Husband and my friends to see if their selections overlap with mine. Or I just try to convince them that I've got the perfect plan. Then I make my reservations as soon as possible and count down the days until the eating-fest starts.

This spring, the list of participating restaurants is really impressive. There are many that I have been to already (and love) and there are also many that I have been meaning to get to. After much debate, we settled on two choices for this round: 

• The Water Grill with Greg (of running buddy fame) and his lady Gretchen
• The Blue Goat with my beloved Viceroy of Anguish, Teka, and her husband Erik

Some of my other top choices include:

• Acacia - I broke my own rule and have gone to Acacia twice during restaurant week because it is that good.
• Avenue 805 - Great Italian spot. I've never gone during Restaurant Week because they have a really good $35 Date Night special every Monday and Tuesday. 
• Julep's - Four words: Cheesy. Shrimp. And. Grits. (Oh. Em. Gee.) It's on the Restaurant Week menu. Trust me, you won't be sorry.
• La Grotta - Another great Italian spot. One of Husband and I's favorites in Richmond, actually. And he's Italian, so he would know. (I'm Scotch-Irish, so really I don't have any right judging food at all.) We have never gone during Restaurant Week and are perfectly willing to shell out full-price to partake, which says something.
• Secco - A wine bar whose lunch specials I love. They serve these amazing fried chick peas as a side that I could just eat piles and piles of. This was on my list for this year but didn't make the cut. If you go, tell me about dinner! 
• Tarrant's Cafe - We have been here many many times for both lunch and dinner. Get the french fries. Just. Do. It.
• Bistro 27 - The sight of Husband and I's most expensive dinner of our lives. We went with a $50 gift certificate and still ended up blowing $130 out of pocket on two people. In other words: it's delicious food and by going during restaurant week, you'll save yourselves a boatload.
• Zeus Gallery Cafe - This place is so hole-in-the-wall that they don't even have a real website. And that's because it's so good that they don't need one - word of mouth does the trick. The menus are on chalk boards at your table because they change every day. I'd be in here all the time if it wasn't so darn expensive - so this is your perfect change to get it without the pain in the wallet.

So I encourage all of you who may be in the Richmond to employ your own strategy and head out there next week. Jump out of your comfort zone, find something new, support local businesses, and help raise some much needed funds to fight hunger among our fellow Virginians.

Richmond Rave: Stella's

Like the Richmond Symphony post, I've been saving up this one for a while.

Stella's is a Richmond Institution - the current iteration, let's just call it Stella's 3.0, opened last June to much fanfare. A Greek restaurant helmed by an authentic Greek grandmother - Stella Dikos - the food at Stella's is simply to die for. For a little bit of background information about Stella Dikos and the history of the restaurant, check out this Richmond.com article.

My first venture to Stella's was with some co-workers for lunch. Having grown up in a small town in Maryland with no Greek food to speak of, I didn't understand what all the fuss was about. Sure, I'd eaten a fast-food style gyro in my time and even tried some grape leaves (which I found to be disgusting), but I wasn't in to Greek food. Goaded on by my co-workers, I joined them last summer for lunch. It was a fateful day which resulted in me falling in love with Stella's... which is both a bad thing (for my wallet and waistline) and a good thing (Tzatziki sauce - where have you been all my life?).

Since then, I've been back quite a few times including a completely decadent outing with BFF and her husband when they visited us for a weekend in November.

My most recent visit was this past Friday with my dear Work Wife. Work Wife and I shared an office at the Richmond Symphony in which our desks faced each other, so we literally looked at each for 8 hours a day. Luckily, this close proximity led to a loving Work Spouse relationship and not a hate-based Work Enemy. WW left the Symphony in February 2010 (I soldiered on for another year), but we remain close.

If you're going to go to Stella's for dinner, my #1 piece of advice is to make reservations - far in advance. This place is hopping every single night, and the wait can be extremely long (an hour +) if you don't have a reservation. Thank goodness grandma Stella is tech savvy - you can make your reservation pain free at http://www.opentable.com/. There are no lunch time reservations (except for parties of 6 or more), so arrive just before Noon if you can to get immediate seating.

I find the restaurant itself to be modern yet cozy and comfortable at the same time. It is not a tiny restaurant, but not overly large either. When there are a lot of people during the dinner hour, you are elbow to elbow with your neighbors and it can get loud, but this somehow adds to the ambiance instead of detracting.

When I arrived at 11:45, I had beaten the lunch rush and things were still quiet. I took advantage of the relative sparsity of the crowd and took took some photos.

The bar is a great option for lunch and during Happy Hour (Meze Ora). The cool marble top juxtaposed with the warm, earthy clay pots is just what I'm talking about when I say the place is modern but cozy. The Greek cross motif is a nice touch too.

I'm in love with the beautiful pressed tin ceiling in the dining room. I have always been a sucker for tin ceilings, and the bright polished one at Stella's is just lovely.

But my most favorite thing about Stella's setting is the family-style table that dominates the restaurant. I was glowing with delight as the host sat me at the far end of that table. There is just something so European and friendly about sitting family-style. 

While I waited I checked out the menu even though I knew exactly what I was getting: a Chicken Souvlaki Pita with fried potatoes. I had been anticipating this meal for a full two weeks.

The lunch menu contains the usual suspects: soups, salads and sandwiches. But at Stella's there is a bonus - the Meze (small plates) and Comfort sections. The Meze selection is particularly extensive, with twelve options to choose from including the delicious Keftedes (4 giant homemade beef meatballs), traditional Hummus & Tabouli served with pita, and the absolutely divine Dolmades (Grape Leaves stuffed with rice and herbs).

Remember how I said I hated grape leaves? For months, every time we talked about Stella's in the office, my boss would say "Have you had the grape leaves? You've GOT to try the grape leaves, I'm telling you!" I resisted, recalling my earlier soggy experience with grape leaves. Finally, when BFF and her husband joined Husband and I at Stella's for our evening of decadence, we got an order of grape leaves. And I absolutely loved them. There is nothing mushy about these. They are savory and firm, stuffed with a delicious concoction of rice and herbs. I absolutely insist that should you go to Stella's, you must  get them whether you think  you like grape leaves or not.

Sadly, WW and I did not get any grape leaves last Friday. WW had the day off, so she ordered (quite appropriately) a glass of Stella Artois.

Sadly, I had to refrain from any libations. Stella's has an excellent wine list (including $10 caraffe specials) and a very cool selection of authentic Greek beers, in addition to the ever-popluar and oh-so-fitting Stella Artois. The waiter told us their Stella is always particularly good because they go through it so fast the kegs are always fresh.

After much waffling on the part of WW, who couldn't decide what she wanted, we placed our orders. Our food arrived within 15 minutes and boy did it look delicious:

Chicken Souvlaki Pita ($9)

WW's lunch: Black Kale Salad ($9)

For $9, you get a very good amount of food. We both struggled to finish our respective meals, but powered through like the soliders we are:

I had a little help with the fried potatoes.

My souvlaki was wonderful, if not a little bit messy (as you can see from the above). Once you pick up the pita, you can't put it down again without everything falling apart. The best part of the pita is the homemade tzatziki sauce. Sometimes tzatziki is too bland for me or has too much cucumber, but Stella's is perfect: zingy and cool at the same time.

By the time we had finished, the restaurant was completely packed and we had gained quite a few friends at our table:

All in all, Stella's is, I think, my favorite restaurant in Richmond. When an out-of-town guest comes, my first suggestion for dinner is Stella's. Birthday dinner? Stella's. Mother's Day? Stella's. A lunch date? Stella's.

Do I sound like a broken record yet?

The lowdown:

• Parking is plentiful - there is a small lot behind the restaurant, accessible via the alley, and plenty of street spots.
• Make reservations for dinner (at least two weeks in advance if possible) and arrive a little bit early for lunch if you need to be seated immediately.
• Can be budget friendly (my lunch on Friday was $9 not including tip) or budget busting (I believe we spent well over $200 for the night of extravagence in November, but that included caraffe(s) of wine, multiple appetizers, dinner entrees, and desserts for 4). But it will be worth every penny, I assure you. 
• Grape leaves are a must.
• Try out the family-style table if you are daring enough.
• Service is excellent but sometimes on the slow side. If you need a quick lunch, you generally won't find it here.
• Stella's is a perfect example of one of my reasons to run - I wouldn't be able to enjoy this delicious but definitely not diet-friendly food if I didn't earn those extra calories through some running.

The Treadmill - Friend & Foe

Right now I'm in the middle of training for my first half marathon. For me, the fast I'm done the better, which is unfortunate because at the moment I'm not exactly what anyone would call "fast." My average pace is usually somewhere between 9:00 and 9:30. My pace for the longest race I've run to date (Army 10 Miler) was more like 11:00.

It's ambitious, but I want to try to finish the half in 2 hours or less. This means speed work, and for me, the best way to do speed work is on what so many like to refer to as "the dreadmill." Being on the 'mill forces me to stick to the faster pace and then ratchet things back far enough for adequate recovery. I don't like the thing, but it is what works for me when it comes to speed work intervals.

I like to be different, so I don't do my long runs on Saturday mornings. Instead I save Saturday for speed work. This morning's session was supposed to be 4 miles of 1600s. Unfortunately, some pre-workout cardinal sins combined with bad luck at the gym made this morning's workout a tough one.

My husband J and I went to a wedding last night, which included a superb dinner reception at one of the best restaurants in Richmond: LeMaire at The Jefferson Hotel. This was the kind of reception where you have one wine glass and ever-watchful waiters who are only too happy to top off you glass every time you take a sip. As a result, I have no idea how much Pinot Grigio I actually consumed last night (don't worry, J was my DD). The menu was also decadent and full of rich food like beef tenderloin and wedding cake.

Chocolate buttermilk cake with chocolate ganache

While delicious, it wasn't the best pre-run dinner. Making matters worse, this morning I was still feeling so full from Friday's decadence that I didn't eat breakfast and only sipped some water on the way to the Y. Very bad idea.

Conditions at the Y didn't help. It was pouring this morning, so the place was packed. The cardio room was much warmer than usual. My iPod died around mile 2.3. My hamstrings still hurt from Tuesday night's yoga class.

Let's just say it wasn't pretty and not the workout that I had hoped for. But I powered through and finished, sweating buckets in the process. Now I can now look forward to a lazy Sunday before tackling a week that includes an 8-miler on Tuesday.

What are your pre-workout cardinal sins?

Do you love or hate the treadmill? A little of both?

What's your favorite wine?