Richmond: The final hours

I haven't updated you! You know nothing about what is going on in my life! How will you live yet another moment without finding out all the sweet deets?!

I know. Life is a constant challenge. I am tired but here I am plugging away at the ol' blog. Trying to make you people happy.

I miss Portland. There I said it. It's almost true. I am excited for the last day and a half of Richmond before Portland becomes a reality for me again but I miss my roomies, my friends, my plants, the boy I'm super excited about. I miss having a regular bowel movement and my regular running partners too.

Wanting everything is hard. I want 100+ degree weather and crazy humidity and I want the beautiful serene of 80 degree Portland and biking everywhere. I want my friends to all live in the same place and I never want to have to leave my family... BUT I want my space. Quiero hablar espanol but I don't want to have to learn. I am lazy in wanting and filled with desire. What to do, what to do? Enjoy what I've got and work towards obtaining these wants? Deny what I've got and all earthly pleasures? Expand my garden, go for runs, and be a regular, employed member of society (boring but probable).

Since I've been in town, I've spent time with the Grams (shout out Mamaw- I love you dearly), spent time with friends, cooked out, watched fireworks, went on 7 mile runs in near 100 degree weather, ate huge breakfasts, gossiped viciously (well not viciously but with great enthusiasm). Eaten frozen greek yogurt, slept fitfully and attended a wedding.

Still to go are walks along the riverside, a huge brunch as part of a lady date, eating out at a crappy restaurant in the airport with my friends who are flying in as I get ready to fly out. Getting more frozen greek yogurt in my belly, visiting with friends not yet visited with, getting a ride from a cousin I haven't had a chance to speak with and little morning time with my parents. This is an ideal world.

Adios Chiquitos.

Don't stop

Vacation: a time of relaxation right? Wrong.

Vacation is a time to pack in all of the social and familial obligations that you have missed out on over the past collection of months. You work and you work so you can go on vacation and then you don't stop moving until you're back to work and vacation is over. And then, honestly, you're still moving because you're at work. It's an interesting structure. Both fulfilling and depleting. When you're not on vacation you miss the feeling of the break: seeing old friends, spending time with family, visiting new places. When you are on vacation you miss all of your new friends, the people you've just started dating, and the regularity of your everyday life. Everywhere you go, you are winning and losing, giving and taking, stopping and starting.

All that I'm saying is, that I'm tired and I'm not sure when that is going to go away. Maybe that's what the actual act of traveling is for. Sleeping. Sleeping on planes is my specialty anyways so I might as well embrace it.

Restless

I am mad uneasy right now about getting up and going. I can feel the need to move pulling at me but I am torn up by the changes in my life that are about to happen.

I don't know how to give up the lead role in the day to day activities of my Mamaw's life but I am so excited to have freedom for my own day to day activities. I really don't know how I'm going to get over seeing her every day and being such a central part of her existence.

I am really, really hyped about seeing my friends back west but I almost can't bear the idea of leaving my Richmond friends behind.

I love the sights and sounds of a Richmond spring but I am so, so, so, excited to see spring in Portland. To watch my tulips come up, and plant a small garden, is such an exciting prospect. My heart quickens at the idea.

Lately, I've been craving the kind of trust that only people who don't really really need you can put into you.  I want my grandmom to trust that I'll clean up a mess or cook something right or fold something and put it away correctly.

If it's really important that those things happen because you can't do it yourself, it's very hard to trust that someone else will do them to your specifications. It's even harder (if not impossible) to let go of those specifications and let someone do things their way.

And I understand that, because I love to be in control. One of the things that I'm looking forward to upon my return to Portland is having complete control of my diet again. I might go temporarily vegan as a response to all of the meat that I've eaten since I was here. I can't wait to make beans and rice and curry! I haven't taken full advantage of the goodness of east coast beers since I've been here (I just don't have the right kind of free time to get some good beers in me as a general rule). So, I'm even excited to be able to drink beer when I'd like to drink it.

I'm excited for yoga and running regularly. I'm bummed that I have to leave the runner friendly city (and my great runner friends) of Richmond.

I'm saddened to leave any prospects of love that I feel like Richmond offers me and Portland doesn't. Why is that? Why would one city not want me so badly when another does? It's all in my head. Probably.

Restless. Yep, that about sums it up.

Tag Team: back again.

I'm back in Richmond, VA and I am not mad about it. I love this place and the people who inhabit it. It was wonderful to get to see my mom on her birthday but, I really do think of VA as my home the most out of any place.

It's weird because I have three places that are not fully my home and no place that is. What a conundrum! I think it's one of the reasons I've got to stick it out where I've decided to invest my time. I've got to make one place my home. The idea that many of the people that I love will leave that place or will never be there at all (whichever place it is) scares me a lot though. A home is only so good as the people who live in it (be it a city or a structure).

Side note: If I've ever sent you a postcard: take a picture and send it to me. You probably don't have a postcard from me if you don't know my email address.

Best,
Rachel

One out of Three

I made it to Black Sheep for the first time since I've been back in town. I still love it- though, the service was a little sullen today at lunch. I aim to go back for more of the stuff I adore (breakfast and dinner are also spectacular). Here are pictures of dessert. The most important aspect of any meal).

 

This chocolate creme brulee was called a "Tar Pit" and had little animal crackers sinking in the muck.

Cute and tasty.

Nutella cake with coffee ice cream. Pretty much as good as it sounds.

I also got to ride my bike again today. Oh sweet, heavenly bike riding. Is there anything better? I really can't think of even one thing. Then again, I haven't been on a date in over 4 months-so I can't even remember the sweet bliss of romance. Speaking of romance. Take your dates to The Black Sheep. They may, love you forever.

3 from 70.

It is supposed to be 70 degrees on Thursday which is three days from now. That being said, I got snowed in town last night and didn't make it back until this morning. Shout out to Scott & Renee who don't know me well but still feed me (lasagna), gave me drink, (home brewed beer) and entertained me, (Apples to Apples and a movie plus good conversation) then let me crash at their house.

blue skies and snowy trees 

 Snow in tree nooks, Daniel in the background

Branches are down, but snow begins to melt. 

The white stuff did melt enough to let me get back to Mamaw's in time to cook breakfast: my first ever making of soft boiled eggs was a success. Hurray for short term snow. I hope somebody got a snow day though. 

Restauranteer

I love the restaurants of Richmond and their underpaid service people. As a homage to the wonderful food of this beautiful city I am eating at as many of these delightful eateries as I can afford whilst I'm in town.
Sometimes, I don't even have to worry about if I can afford it or not. In my one week of Richmond time, I've already been treated to one tasty meal and a beer or two by the generous personalities in my life.

I'm compiling a richmond list of places that I would like to eat at, some for the first time and some as a loving, returning customer. It's a work in progress, but here's what I have so far.

Places to eat in Richmond, VA


1) The Franklin Inn Tuesday was my  first time at this tiny cafe and I found it has loads of character and some pretty dank fried zucchini, all beer battered with local beer from 2) Legend Brewery. I've never eaten here at the first brewpub that I ever even heard of and I think it is high time to remedy that.

3) Kuba Kuba Classic Fan deliciousness. Who doesn't like Kuba Kuba? Crazies, that's who. Three words. Tres Leches Cake. Take that crazies.

4) Comfort: Down home southern comfort food. I've pretty much only heard good things. Before, I was deterred by price, but now I know of something I didn't know before. Lunch menu. I'll be seeing you soon Comfort.

5) The Black Sheep: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. I want everything that The Black Sheep has to offer. EVERYTHING. I love this place with the hopeless devotion that a puppy dog reserves for the one member of the household that gives them people food. I could write a whole post about The Black Sheep on its own.

6) Mekong: A few years ago when everyone was tripping over themselves to get some Pho. Mekong was the place to be. I'm not sure why, but up until recently I had no interest. Now, Mekong is on my radar and I will go there before I leave town.

7) Thai Diner: is on the list. But, let's face it, I eat Thai food all the time in Portland from Authentic Thai so I might not make it. However, if I get to a Thai Diner, it'll probably be Thai Diner Too in Carytown because of their proxemity to 8)Bev's: I'm lactose intolerant but I will risk violent illness to eat a little bit of Bev's Ginger ice cream.

9) Pasture: Brand new, and still working out the kinks in a couple of places, Pasture is operated by those that bring us Comfort. Offering beers brewed from the very under appreciated breweries of the mid Atlantic, small plates of southern food, and a starkly handsome space. This hip dining establishment is open now, but is a place that I would go back to in four months. By that time it will, probably, be fully, and deliciously operational.

10) Pearly's Restaurant: My friends love it and I trust them. It also, seems to be a hit among the Richmond Marathon crowd for which I've always had a special place in my heart.

11) I tried to stop at 10 but Ipanema  ruined my plan. I just love it too much with it's delicious pies, $2 draft beers on Monday nights and otherwise charming basement decor.

12) Bottoms Up Pizza A pizza joint I still haven't tried, despite the fact that my college boyfriend's modelishous, freshman year roomie worked there, I never brought myself to head downtown for this highly recommended pizza. What can I say? The world of a college freshman is small and there is a certain lack of expendable income during this part of our lives. Nevertheless, I don't know of any other gourmet style pizza places in the area, so this seems like a place to hit up.

That's the list as of right now. Certainly, places were forgotten, Balliceaux for instance. I am open to new possibilities and if I happen to eat somewhere else while I'm here, that's okay. However, these are the mainstay of my Richmond restaurant to do list. I don't want to miss out on more than 20% of these places while I'm here. So, gear up Richmond. I will be eating with you. (Restaurants that weren't mentioned because the list was getting out of hand, but are on my extended list are: 821 Cafe, Mamma Zu's, Edo's Squid, 8 and 1/2)

On a related note: http://thisiswhyyourefat.tumblr.com/

I've gotta go eat lunch.

Frost

9:15a.m. February, 6th, 2012

Chesterfield, VA 23834

Frost [frawst, frost]

Definition: extreme cold

Synonyms: Jack Frost, blight, dip, drop, freeze, hoarfrost, ice rime

Antonyms: Heat 

Turn up the heat

So, it's cold again. We ran out of oil last week and it seems like it's gotten colder every day since. Today, we're getting more oil which will be good for the next five days that I'm here. Then the room goes over to Sauce, my roomie who lives in a RV outside our house.

I'm excited to go somewhere with guaranteed heat. Even, if it's not the very warm kind. Bring it on Richmond. I'll be back via the train on Feb. 1st. 4:50 p.m. estimated arrival time.

Where to even begin?!

This weekend passed by in a whirlwind of excitement!

I went from visit's with friends from Philly and the DE family, into wedding prep and then, even better, the wedding! It was beautiful and I'm both excited and a little jealous about the adventures that Jon-Mike and Jackie are embarking upon with their lives.

The wedding itself was filled with; moving prayers and speeches; beautiful dresses, flowers and setups; an open bar, dance floor and delicious cookies (plus, of course, wedding cake with gelato!) and plenty of aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and family of all sorts.

The husband to be and our wonderful uncle Eddy.

Jon-Mike and Jackie dancing

After the wedding I had more quality family time as I rode down to Richmond, VA with my Uncle Roger and Aunt Sarah and beautiful grandmother. We watched VCU move into the final four by winning against Kansas and then I went to visit friends from school.

The week has been radiation treatments in the afternoon and family and friends all around that. Mamaw and I have gotten in some walks and I have many a plan to see some great people. Looking forward to continuing with my visit for the rest of the week.

Last Day in RVA

It's hard to know what to do. There's so much left to accomplish. I can't believe this is my last day here. I've been preparing for so long and I still don't feel like I'm ready. Some good things that have happened though are:

1) My sister has a friend who is house sitting in Portland for pretty much a week after I get there and I'm probably going to be able to cancel my hostel reservation and stay with him when I finish living with my couch surfing host.

2) I got to see the new Virginia Museum of Fine Arts that I'd been waiting 5 years to see, before leaving.

3) I got in some quality time with two of my favorite couples Christine and Daniel and Krista and Adam.

4) I had the best date day with Zachary yesterday.

If I can get WiFi on the train I'll update from there if not it will probably be until the 11th, which is Portland, that you hear from me again.

Saying Goodbyes

Over the past week or two I've been saying my goodbyes. Here are some pictures of the people I love in some of the last moments that I see them before this terrifying adventure begins.

Mamaw and I after a refreshing morning walk

Dan and I in A Smithsonian art museum
My family in DE.
My Mom and I