I asked Nancy what she wanted for her recent birthday. She said she wanted me to book a hotel room in Virginia Beach, drive there, spend the night and eat at Bubba’s Restaurant for lunch the next day. And we did. We drove to Virginia Beach following a friend’s funeral on Saturday, stayed in a waterfront room at the Wyndham Hotel that night, then drove to the north end of Virginia Beach the next … [Read more...]

I place into nomination Chick-fil-A for Governor of Virginia, or for Mayor of Charlottesville, or for Postmaster General of the United States. If the folks who run this well-oiled machine ran any government organization, the people would be far better served. Chick-fil-A has efficiency down to a science. Nancy and I were both under the weather with nasty colds and decided to let the fast-food … [Read more...]

Hilltop Market used to be just a small convenience store. They sold lots of live bait to fishermen headed out to the Rivanna Reservoir. They sold some canned goods, drinks, snacks and fresh produce. Then they opened a small deli. Since then, Hilltop Market (now called Hilltop Grocery) has become one of the best go-to lunch destinations for many in Charlottesville. You’ll find men in business … [Read more...]

Every now and then, the Brits will get something right. Fish and Chips is one example. Considered the national dish of the United Kingdom, Fish and Chips first appeared in the UK in the 1860s, when small shops began to pop up. It was one of the few foods in the UK not subject to rationing during the war years, which contributed to its popularity. The fish (usually Cod) … [Read more...]

Last Sunday, it was order-out night. Chinese sounded good, but our go-to place for home delivery, Chopsticks, closes on Sunday. There is another Asian restaurant not far from us, Taste of China, and we decided to go there and try it. Inside, it didn’t look like a normal Chinese restaurant and the menu was strange – no typical appetizers like Wonton Soup and Fried Wings and Shrimp, so we left. A … [Read more...]

One mandatory requirement while in the Land of the Amish is a visit to one of the many restaurants offering a Smorgasbord-style buffet. Though Smorgasbord is a Swedish term describing one of their buffet-style meal the Amish have it down to a science. This year, we took in that Amish feast three times in three days. We suffered afterwards in pure pleasure. We had immensely enjoyed one of the … [Read more...]

Going way back in Charlottesville history, there was a restaurant called The Gaslight at 625 West Main Street, founded by John Tuck in 1961. For years, it was among Charlottesville’s finest. John Tuck – everybody just called him Tuck – was always on hand. An eccentric sort of fellow who wore a beret, Tuck greeted each of his guests and went from table to table to make sure everything was just … [Read more...]

One thing I so much enjoyed when growing up and hunting quail with Daddy was lunchtime. After walking who knows how many miles across the hills of West Virginia that morning, we always took a break at lunchtime, found an old country store and loaded up on almost everything that was bad for you. Like Vienna Sausages. Each hunter would open a tin, manage to squeeze that first one out and then … [Read more...]

For the last several years when Nancy and I feel the need to get out of town for a few days, we’ve headed to the Deltaville area. We enjoy it because, first, it’s close. We can be in a waterfront cottage within 2 ½ hours of Charlottesville – door to door. There is also good fishing from our own dock and we especially like going out to eat for fresh seafood. There are several really good … [Read more...]

When you have a truly special occasion, there is no finer place to celebrate than Charlottesville’s Ivy Inn. For a recent anniversary, Nancy and I never even considered another restaurant. We made reservations at The Ivy Inn. I won’t list all the delectable things we ate because at the Ivy Inn, it doesn’t really matter what you order. Everything you put in your mouth will be … [Read more...]