Grateful

We had a small but wonderful Thanksgiving this year with my parents and sister.

I think it was the first time in years I didn't cook a thing! I'm so thankful for being close to home and being spoiled by my mom.

And I was so grateful that the worst of my sickness has past so I could enjoy the holiday feast! Here are my first official "belly shots" at almost 17 weeks. Still not much of a bump to speak of (although had I taken these after dinner it might have appeared differently)...

The Richmond Restaurant Post

After a few recent requests, I've finally gotten around to compiling a list of our favorite Richmond restaurants. Over the last 3 1/2 years we've tried quite a few local eats and I thought the results of our experimentation might come in handy for someone else. I've included some of our favorite dishes and I'll also include a few favorite spots outside of Richmond...
(click on the names for a link to the website)

Richmond:
Cous Cous- Mediterranean/Moroccan (hummus platter, saganaki, manchego fritters)

Tarrant's Cafe- little bit of everything (mahi fish tacos)

Mosaic Cafe - local/healthy options (gouda bacon mac and cheese, Shem creek pita, cranberry slaw)

Edo's Squid- Italian (eggplant parm, penne with sausage and broccoletti, vegetable lasagna)

8 1/2- Italian (Edo's take-out counterpart)

Ipanema Cafe- Vegetarian (gouda grilled cheese, sweet potato fries)

Palani Drive- wraps/quesadillas (Shenandoah, Hummus tabbouli, Durango, Pesto Chicken)

Baker's Crust- cafe fare

Urban Farmhouse Market Cafe- local/organic salads, soups, and sandwiches (Q-Bleu chicken, roasted red pepper and sweet potato soup)

Garnett's cafe- sandwich shop

Ettamae's Cafe- lunch/bruch (cumin pork manchego)

Osaka (the one on River/Huguenot Rd., not Short Pump)- Japanese, sushi

Cafe Rustica- "European comfort" (crab cake platter)

Cafe Caturra- gourmet soups/salads/sandwiches

Belvidere at Broad- "eclectic American"/organic

Julep's Southern Cuisine- fine dining (bacon-wrapped filet mignon)

The Black Sheep- southern

The Boathouse- American, seafood (recommended for ambiance, the food is just decent and pricey)

Cafe Gutenberg- European influence (I had to include this one on the list even though they recently closed, it was probably our favorite place in Richmond, the Gutenburger was to die for, hoping they someday re-open)

Comfort- southern (lunch prices very reasonable, pulled pork, mac and cheese, squash casserole)

Lehja- Indian (pricey but excellent, tikka masala, garlic naan)

Umi Sushi Bistro- Japanese/sushi (we LOVE sushi and have tried a lot of places in the area, this is one of the few worth returning to, right across from Short Pump mall)

Millie's Diner- American with a latin flair (go for brunch- omelets, frittatas)

Thai Flavor- Thai (favorite pad thai in Richmond, located close to home in the Innsbrook shops, take-out available)

Farmer Johnson's Country Kitchen- down-home cooking, sourced by local farmers

Anokha- Indian (our favorite Indian in Richmond, tikka masala, shrimp tandoori skewers, lunch is a great value)

HogsHead Cafe- Southern/BBQ (pulled pork or chicken sandwich, sweet potato fries, shrimp po' boy, favorite BBQ sandwich in Richmond)

Station 2- American/gourmet burgers, local (one of the better burgers in Richmond, sweet potato tots are awesome, brunch is yummy, too)

Mediterranean Brick Oven- Mediterranean (hummus, tabbouleh, souvlaki, shawarma, skip the Italian half of the menu)

Sette- fire-roasted pizza/Italian (try the Church Hill or the Chesapeake)

Azizas on Main- Lebanese, Italian (the pizza)


Richmond, meaning to try: 
(some of these are on the more expensive side- we're hoping to try them before our time here is up)
Pescados- Caribbean/Latin

Acacia Mid-town- seafood/regional

Stella's- Greek

Mekong- Vietnamese


Charlottesville:
Revolutionary Soup- yes, soup, and a little of everything else (Adam's Apple, butternut squash soup)

Feast!- local sandwiches/soups/salads

Bodo's Bagels- bagel shop/bagel sandwiches

Continental Divide- southwestern


VA Beach:
Mojito Cafe- Cuban

Mayflower Cafe- Mediterranean


Washington DC:
Sushi Yoshi- Japanese, sushi (actually in Vienna)

Mai Thai- Thai (old town Alexandria location, awesome pad thai)

Crepes A-Go-Go- sweet and savory crepes

Market Lunch @ the Eastern Market (crab cake sandwich, blueberry pancakes)

Busboys and Poets- eclectic/local (just ignore the overtly liberal agenda)

7th Hill Pizza- Italian/Neapolitan pizza

Nando's Peri Peri- Portuguese chicken dishes (chicken breast wrap)


Charleston/Folly Beach:
Taco Boy- Mexican (I dream about those fish tacos)


Note that this list is slightly slanted in my favor. Dustin would probably include Burgerworks (I've yet to try it, but supposedly they serve high-quality gourmet burgers) and Five Guys (not local, totally greasy). 


If you have any questions for me about prices/size/kid-friendliness of any of these places- I'm always happy to answer or provide suggestions.


And I'd love to hear about your favorite places as well... we're always up for trying something new and I'll update this list as I make new discoveries.


Happy dining!

Boston, etc.

Last weekend we snuck away to Boston for a little work (Dustin had a residency interview) and a little relaxation. (If you can call driving in Boston and braving a nor'easter relaxing.)

Despite the wind and cold we snapped a few pictures...

The Boston Commons (above), walking the Freedom Trail (below)...

Every other second we were ducking in a shop or cafe to warm up. It's a beautiful city, but the weather didn't exactly convince me I want to live there.

Dustin's grandpa just finished his mission at the Boston temple, so we had to check it out.

Despite a treacherous drive to the airport in the middle of the night (on snow packed zero-visibility roads), we made it back just in time to dress up for Halloween...

Dustin's lack of preparation resulted in his wearing my litte sister's witch dress. A picture too priceless not to share. He freaked out a handful of trick-or-treaters.

This last picture was one of the few we've taken over the last 2 months. (Since I spent the majority of it nauseous on the couch.) But we did get around to cleaning out the office and Dus was thrilled to throw away piles and piles of old school stuff.

November has brought the beginning of my second trimester, and thankfully I'm feeling significantly better. Food is still a struggle though- I'm hoping I find my appetite again soon. Sorry, no belly pictures to share... my baby bump is still nonexistent!