Goodbye Virginia!

I can’t believe my last post was in April. Craziness! Time just flew by in the last few months. I have been packing, socializing with the friends I know I will miss dearly, and eating at all my favorite local spots. We finally made in to Atlanta this past Sunday but before I start exploring my new home, I want to give Charlottesville one last homage. In the form of a list of places I’ve eaten in the last few months. Because I love food a lot. 🙂

Bang! has the best drinks in town (and delicious food as well!). Of course I had to get one more Pink Flamingo before we left! 🙂

We have enjoyed so many decadent meals at Mas. We loved their food and their sangria. I will certainly miss their charcuterie plate and carne asada!

I tried my first oysters at Blue Light Grill. With Kim’s guidance, I tried raw, steamed and fried oysters. Glad I tried it… it wasn’t as bad as the last picture suggests. 😉

I’ve been wanting to try out The Flat: Takeaway Crêperie since I moved to Charlottesville. Their odd schedule made it almost impossible. So very happy I was able to try them out with Holly! I had the “Temptation of Adam” savory crêpe and it was heavenly.

Jeff and I had to stop by Trinity Irish Pub, on the Corner, as it used to be a Macado’s, where Jeff worked during his college years. A quick drink down memory lane. 🙂

Paradox Pastry is where sweet dreams are baked to perfection. From their brown sugar pie to their “Better than DMB” brownies, everyone finds something they love there. And not to mention how awesome it is to sit and watch the “sugaristas” (what they called themselves) work their magic!

A sweet treat at Paradox Pastry with Verena and Denise after our last day of preschool!

We had a fun night out with our friends John and Michelle. We had dinner at Zocalo followed by drinks and dessert at C&O. How I love the rustic look of C&O!

My all-time favorite. The place I will absolutely miss the most: The Local. Walking distance from our house, it was our go-to restaurants, whether we were meeting with friends or wanting a quick drink with appetizers. Their crispy shrimp will forever be at the top of my favorite food list.

Although this isn’t a restaurant, I did go cherry picking for the first time! It was a lot of fun to pick them but even better to have a bucket full of freshly picked cherries to eat once I got back home!

Another place I had not been to until a few weeks ago. Jeff took his dad and I to Mellow Mushroom. The pizza was delicious and although we figured out it was a chain (there is one in Atlanta!), it still felt like a local staple.

For our dear friend Vari’s birthday, we went to Veritas Winery. With a glass of wine, we enjoyed a fabulous picnic…until a storm hit the area. I will certainly miss all the gorgeous wineries Virginia has to offer!

Every Friday, Market Street Wine offers a free wine tasting. When the weather was nice (i.e. not too hot), Jeff and I loved going there. As our friend Josh was visiting, we decided to go one last time.

Marco & Luca: The best dumplings in town. I also love their cold sesame noodles. All together, a cheap and satisfying lunch.

As if the dumplings weren’t enough, Vari, Denise and I followed our lunch by ice cream cones at Chaps. And, of course, I also love their 50’s diner atmosphere!

For years, Jeff told me I needed to go to Little John’s Deli. It somehow didn’t happen until Wednesday before we left as I went with Kim. I had their Mo-Jo chicken sandwich and it was fabulous.

A few hours after our lunch at Little John’s, Kim and I headed over to Sweethaus for some cupcakes. My sweet tooth enticed me to get the “Everything” cupcake, a deliciously rich treat.

On my last day before Jeff came back, I had lunch at Belmont BBQ with Verena. Their Slop Bucket should gross me out but it is actually very delicious.A staple of the Belmont neighborhood.

Having Belmont BBQ for lunch followed by Bodo’s Bagels for dinner wasn’t my best move but it didn’t make it any less delicious. Sesame bagel with chicken salad. So good!

Other places I went to but didn’t take pictures of include:

Mi Canton: where I had the best Pupusa and tamal
Mel’s Café: where a fried chicken sandwich means fried chicken with a side of bread. (but oh so tasty fried chicken!)
Lime Leaf: The first Thai restaurant I went to. Their sweet and sour chicken remains my favorite.
Now & Zen: By far, the best sushi in town!

So, there you have it. My last foodie memories in Charlottesville. It is now time to turn the page on nine wonderful years to start a new journey in Atlanta. I’m excited to see what this big city has to offer.