Tonight we started talking about Tapas for dinner and then could not get it off our minds. So decision made. Tapas for dinner. That left only one place to go. Europa. One of our all-time favs. This is the restaurant where I took Kim on our first date almost 10 years ago. We still love eating there and thinking about our first date.

The food has not changed much (which, is a good thing – a very good thing) even though the menu has expanded a bit. A great wine selection and even better food. Ah, the choices are almost too much. The more people that go to dinner, usually the better. Everyone orders a couple Tapas and everyone else gets to try a taste. Such varied flavors, and very satisfying.

After dinner we took a stroll around downtown to see ‘Inlight’, an annual event usually associated with First Friday’s – also known as Art Night where downtown galleries open their doors and a street festival takes shape. As usual, there was some interesting sights and entertainers out for the night. Nice material for some urban photography. We didn’t stay long, but were able to walk around enough to burn off most of our delicious dinner and wine.

Richmond certainly has it’s share of things to offer if you just look around a little. I am looking forward to another season of First Fridays this fall with new art and lots of sights on the streets.Check out some of last year’s usual entertainment – Richmond Burners.

Aloha.

For one, our water heater died. Two, the downstairs heat pump fan stopped working, the outdoor shower plumbing failed. Oh, and two outside electrical outlets are dead. Really? I thought we were done with this kind of stuff after selling our old houses. Ah, home ownership. Makes you want to rent again, eh?

With Kim having to take care of the house issues, juggle her demanding job, shuttle herself back and forth between Hatteras and Richmond, she is just about done. I can’t say I blame her either. She has been able to take care of most of the problems, but it was high time that I came back and helped her out. I think she was over hearing how much surfing and kiting I was doing while she played the grown up. So I took her mountain biking. Well with 30 of our close friends.

I have to say, I missed good ‘ol Richmond. Nothing like sitting in traffic staring at the back of an overgrown SUV with stickers plastered all over it like they are a sponsored athlete. What is up with the stickers on cars these days? Everything from professing love for their schnauzer, to what college(s) they went to. People really like speaking from the back of their cars. Anyway, I digress. What was I talking about?

Back in Richmond, VA. That’s right. Lots of house work and catching up with good friends and family. Lots of eating out at some of the many incredible restaurants Richmond has to offer. I am still amazed at how many great restaurants are here. Not the chain restaurants that accompany those quaint big box plazas of the suburbs. No, I’m talking about all of the little spots you never know are there unless you either stumble upon them or have them recommended by a friend. Cuban, Indian, Greek, Italian, Vegetarian. The list goes on. So many unique places to eat here.

After getting to catch up on some mountain biking, friends, family, and eating out. Kim and I do what we enjoy a lot, cooking at home and eating together. She is such an incredible cook. I don’t know how many new recipes she has created from whatever she can mix together, but it has to be close to a hundred. She is becoming famous for her ‘pantry specials’.

I wish I could say I’ve been able to get out and see all of my friends, but I have been having a crazy week at work and with tons to do around the house, I didn’t even realize it was Friday. Between doctor’s appointments, oil changes, cutting grass, getting ready for a wedding shoot, helping with the yard sale tomorrow morning, getting the house back together, and everything else there hasn’t been enough time for socializing. Hence, no blog posts.

I did manage to find time to show Kim some basic photography skills this evening. She loved the fact that now, I am the model. So many times she has endured me practicing as she is the model.

She will be assisting me at the wedding this weekend. I wanted to be able to put a camera in her hand and know she is comfortable with it. Her eye for composition and her talent as an artist makes her a natural photographer. All she needs is a little nudge on the technical end of the practice. So I am excited to see what she captures tomorrow.

Well, off to bed for me. It is late and we have an early yard sale to set up in the morning. Not to mention a little wedding photography for the better part of the day.

Aloha.

Being a life-long resident (37 of my 40 years) of Henrico county (Brookland district), I can appreciate the varying needs and perspectives of the county constituents. Growing up riding my bicycle to and from school and everywhere in between, the changes to the county I’ve seen have been incredible. Some better than others.

As expected, the night was filled with various perspectives, opinions, and facts. It was an empowering feeling to listen to the passionate thoughts and suggestions presented by many residents of the county specifically, Varina residents, an area that is proposed to be developed.

College students, citizen advocacy groups, small-farm farmers, retired farmers, local residents, business interests, you name it. They were there, and they all had excellent points about their interests. Looking at the map of Henrico and the proposed development, I can’t help but think what will happen when the land is no longer farms and open space.

Dr. Kimberly Perry spoke on behalf of Bike Walk Virginia about the need to address bike and pedestrian accommodations. Thomas Bowden also addressed critical points concerning the need to devote attention towards bike/ped needs. Additionally, Dr. Tracy Wright, pediatrician at Richmond Pediatrics Associates spoke on addressing the rising childhood health concerns when considering new community development.

If you did not make it to the meeting last night, follow the link at the top of this post and voice your concerns about this plan. There is still time to make your opinion known to the County Board of Supervisors. Thanks are in order to all that attended and facilitated the meeting. It was a late night but a great way to see our government at work.