Nancy and I don’t go to many movies these days, mostly because there is rarely anything playing that we want to see. I’m not big into body parts being blown into smithereens, nor sophomoric chick and guy flicks with actors trying to out-gross one other.
A remake of Ben-Hur, however, caught our attention. The film was playing at Violet Crown, a modern theater on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall that offers dining and drinks. Since we would be going to the matinee, we decided to eat lunch at the movie house.
I suppose most folks have already experienced alcoholic beverages and food being offered and served in a theater, but not us. It was our first experience and I must admit, I was impressed.
I felt like a hot dog for lunch and ordered one along with a cold beer. It was one of the best hot dogs I have ever eaten.
It was a large, all beef dog, most likely a Hebrew National, so it would be kosher when watching Judah Ben-Hur in the chariot race. They split the dog and grilled it before adding cheese, red onions and mustard on a pretzel bun and served it with a side of fries. Wow was it ever good. I’d go see a bad movie in order to eat another one of those great hot dogs.
The theater/restaurant also offer lots of salads, sandwiches and wraps, plus pizza, along with a fully stocked bar.
The theater offers four feature films at a time, each shown in small, cozy settings with about 120 seats. The chairs are plush with places to put your food and drink.
I recommend the Violet Crown whole-heartedly and I also suggest you see Ben-Hur. It was truly action-packed, yet emphasized the Jewish struggles during the troubling times in Jerusalem under the Roman occupation. The cinematography was superb, the acting first-rate and the sound effects put you smack dab in the center of an exciting chariot race.
Should you happen to see a movie at the Violet Crown, order a Ben-Hur hot dog.