Brunched!
I was honored to be invited as a judge again at the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach Brunched 2019. The panel also included Brandy Anderson from 64 Eats, Marielena Balouris of WAVY 10, and Kim Parker from So Full Zest.
The big winner of the day was Supper Southern Morsels with People’s and Judge’s Choice! Their Shrimp and Grits were amazing, if wasn’t slated to go eat more stuff later that day I would have eaten it all.
Thanks again JLNVB again for the invite and hope to return next year!
Tacos al Pastor!
Norfolk Virginia Taco Festival 2018
Shelby and I were at wine tasting at Origin Wine Social with our go-to +1 Rachel told us about the Norfolk Taco Festival happening Norfolk the following week.
What?
How did I not know about a taco festival happening in the area?! I'm slipping... When I got home later that night I checked it out - over 75 varieties of tacos were going to be served at the Waterside District. Heck yeah, I'm in!
I was able to get into the sold out event and was you could have guessed it was packed! There was a line around the park waiting to get in because it had met capacity. They were letting people in on shifts. I think there were people at the door who thought they could buy tickets, unfortunately they had to be turned away.
I found Rachel and Shon already full of tacos and sipping lagers. I chatted a minute but wanted to run around real quick to get some shots of the action. First thing I notice is that there lines everywhere! That combined with the heat produced some griping from the crowd. This being the first event they've thrown in the space, there will be some growing pains. I'm sure they'll make the appropriate adjustments next time they do this. Back to tacos.
There were a ton of tacos being slung by the restaurants that participated, just about any variety you could think of. My favorite was the al Pastor I found being made by a new outfit called Javi's. I mean there is something sexy about seeing meat on a spit slowly roasting. Reminds me of the donner kebabs we would get in Germany.
I bumped into a few friends while I was there and I would grab my drinks from the inside of Waterside to skip the lines outside. I'm not going to ramble here but check out the rest of the photos and catch it next year!
New Years Eve!
New Year's Eve we usually hang out with family that are visiting from out of town - we'll make a nice dinner, we'll have some drinks, and end up watching some some network-ball-dropping-show. This year was different though, we ended up being free for the night. The kids are all older now, everyone is doing their thing, our out-of-town visitors left a day early, we had the opportunity to get out.
We had figured out what we were going to do NYE, we came up with a quick plan: hit Bottlecraft for a uKeg fill and a pour, check out Chartruese to see Ross and maybe get lucky and grab a seat for sushi, then go by The Birch and O'Connor Brewing's NYE parties.
Lara and Shelby
After getting ready we hit Bottlecraft first. We didn't know if they had anything planned but when we arrived there was a band playing for a good crowd of people. Some of them were dressed up for the night and it looked liked people were having fun. Chase and Lara were there and so were his parents with their friends. I said Hi to everyone and grabbed a couple of drinks for Shelby and myself. I had the uKeg filled with a good one from Benchtop Brewing while we mingled.
I love my uKeg by the way, I got it for Christmas, pretty to look at and great for pouring.
We didn't stay too long because we wanted to bounce around and visit a few places. Finishing our drinks and saying our byes we headed to Norfolk to see our buddy Ross. Chartruese Bistro was doing a special sushi pop-up for NYE featuring Ross Riddle of Hashi Chow fame. He was in the kitchen with owner/chef Christopher Corrie for an RSVP event. It's a cozy spot and not a lot room to stand around in but we figured we'd swing by and say Hi to Ross since we were out and maybe if we got lucky get a seat.
We didn't get lucky but Shelby got a drink on the house which was very nice. Ross was very busy putting together orders so we didn't bug him much. Christie, showed up a little later and we got to hang out with her a bit. It wasn't looking like we were going to get lucky with a seat so we made out way over to The Birch. Malia hosts an annual, catered NYE party were everyone dresses up fancy and drinks lots of good beer. She graciously let us slip in to hang out a bit and offered something to eat.
Shout out to Ten Top catering! One the best sandwich shop in Norfolk.
Malia and Shelby looking smashing!
We hung out there for a bit and realized that it was about quarter after 10:00. We wanted to pop a cork at home when the clock rang midnight so we had to sadly skip the stop to O'Connor Brewing. Wish we had though, the party looked crazy! On the way home we called in take-out from Jade Villa, a place we were turned on to by Ross. He says since it's always open into the wee hours of the morning the industry people would hit it up after their shifts for some authentic Chinese food. We got a few things: Pork Belly Hot Pot with Mustard Greens, Shrimp and Pork steamed dumplings, Chinese Broccoli, and Garlic Pork Spare Ribs. Wish I had a photo because it was all delicious! I was in a rush because I spilled some of my beer on the floor somehow (hey, I only had two drinks the whole night! I just need to get used to the uKeg spout) and get the sparkling wine ready.
We got settled in right in time to pop the cork, or plastic thingie on the bottle we had, and rand in the New Year with a toast. All in all a very fun night!
Happy New Year everyone! I hope it's a good one for ya!
Hashi Chow in the Wild!
Oh lucky me!
You all know I go to the Old Beach Farmer's Market on the weekends (off season now, so only once a month until Spring rolls around. One of the things I most looked forward to the most was hitting Hashi food truck. I've been posting Hashi food shots for years, I even remember the first time I had a bite from there, before the truck made it's way to its way to the market. Marleigh, Jasper and I tried a few things from the menu and ate sitting on the bumper of the truck.
Sadly, but for good reason, the Hashi truck is no longer but owner Ross Riddle has big plans for the future. It's been a little bit since the truck was sold and I've had a chance to eat some of Ross' food since then but it's something you yearn for...always! That's why it was good news to hear Hashi was going to pop-up at Bottlecraft Virginia Beach one night with a couple of menu classics - Hashi Hash and Congee.
As soon as Shelby and I were ready that evening we ran down to Bottlecraft and weren't surprised to see a packed house. The turnout was great and it was populated by a lot of people in the industry that know what you get when Ross is cooking. He's pretty intense when it comes to planning, prepping, and putting together his creations. When we entered the shop I went past the line to the back to say Hi to Ross. I heard someone behind me yell, "No cutting!" Haha, they were joking...I think...
I wasn't cutting though I had to pay respects to the man of the hour and didn't stay back there too long. He was getting a pile of tickets but was knocking them out like the pro he is. We got in line and made our way to the front. Christie was taking orders and we ordered one of each (well, three if you look at the pics, we met up with our friend Kelly too.) Lara was the runner, it's funny because the first time we met Lara she was helping Hashi out at a beer festival. True story. I got the Hashi Hash that was "George'd up", meaning add pork belly and an egg, Scott Holl who used to work the truck with Ross came up with that.
I will add pork belly to anything, try me.
Ross' pork belly is legendary. He has it down pat. Here's a lil video:
Shelby got the Congree with mushrooms and pork belly and Kelly got hers with as it came. It was so good! It's been awhile like I said so this was an experience, one I would have been sad to miss. Hopefully it won't be too long before we get to have it again seeing how Ross has been looking for a brick-and-mortar spot in Virginia Beach. Property owners - give Ross a great deal on a spot down at the beach, you won't regret it!
The Landing's Fall Chef Table Dinner at Cromwell Farms
Shelby and I were lucky enough to buy tickets to one of The Landing's chef's dinners recently. This one was held on the Cromwell's Produce farm within the market building. This was after a day of crazy running around that I usually do on a Satruday - and I'll say it was very welcome. The weather became grey on the way out to the Pungo where the farm is located.
Fun fact: Shelby and I were married out in Pungo!
By the time we got there there was a steady drizzle and we were happy to see that the dinner was still on and would be located inside the market building on the property. We got there right on time as the rain started to come down a little bit harder. We saw some familiar faces, including the two walking into below; I mention them for a reason I'll point out later.
After making our way around the space, it was time for a drink! Pleasure House Brewing was on site offering a couple of their brews with and Country Vintner provided wine. Here's what Chef Brent Cowan and crew put together on the menu:
- Braised Lamb Shank with Robuchon potatoes, carmerlized Malibu carrots, Zinfandel pan jus.
- Crispy Eastern Shore Oysters - pickled succotash, Old Bay Bearnaise, baby arugula.
- Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast - baby kale, candied pecans, dried cranberries, Concord grapes, mountain apples, plum gastrique.
- Cartwright Farms Pork Belly - spicy peach glaze, cherrywood smoked potato salad.
- Fall Squash Bisque - Alaskan snow crab, shaved nutmeg, micro fennel.
All of our favorite things!
It wasn't long before the place was full (it sold out) and a lot of bottles were opened up loosening up the crowd. The food began to file out - dinner was being served by small plates with the option to eat as many as you desired. Always a bad idea when I'm around, just a fair warning to ya'll out there!
Oh! Remember the couple I told you remember a couple paragraphs ago? They're names are Keith Hunt and Bridget Goeke, I did a little write-up on their pop-up Pro Tem. They Keith popped the question to her that night and she said "Yes", that was pretty exciting!
Brent came out several times to introduce a new course and to check on how everyone was doing. Great - everyone was doing great! Brent asked if I'd like to take a look at the operation in the back which was pretty cool. I always love seeing where the magic happens. Shelby and I got to say meet everyone "back of the house" and Brent even shared a couple of swigs from his Four Roses bottle stashed in the walk-in.
After the tour we went back out to hang out with our new friends Heather and Victor Arcelay that we met through Insta. Great couple and we have a lot in common too. Love meeting people in person through online connections.
As the night winded down and after I attempted to eat everything in sight the crew came out and thanked everyone for coming. They received a standing ovation for the excellent meal and being good people in general - everything was relaxed, delicious, felt homey. Catch the next one if you get the opportunity.
I posted all the photos from the event below, enjoy!
Evening on the Creek
I go to a lot of events - I mean a lot! If you follow me on on Instagram (click on my feed to the left) you'll know I'm out and about all the time. Most of the events I go to revolve around beer, reason being is that there are basically more beer events than there are food events. Food events involve a ton of planning, prep work, staging, cooking, etc... I definitely try to attend any food event I'm invited to, they're great for checking out a chef's innovation and creativity. Needless to say, the food is a treat to eat of course!
I was recently contacted by Kate from Hoffman Beverage, a large distributor in our area, about helping promote a beer and food event that would be located at the Virginia Aquarium. They've invited me and Shelby to come hang out and do a couple of my favorite things:
Eat and Drink
Oh, that's Kate in the photo below! She was buying me beers at our meeting in Norfolk but that isn't why I agreed to be involved with this, honest!
Note: If you want to buy me a beer if we ever end up at the bar together, I will gladly accept ;)
Her idea, Evening On The Creek, was to do something that was different than the what has become the standard event model of setting up a table, have volunteers pour beer, rinse-dry-repeat till you're drunk. Kate and the team wanted to pair some unique beers from breweries they have in their catalog with some goods eats. The result looks pretty delicious too! Ticket holders will be treated to some great beer and food at tasting stations that allow people to take their time to appreciate their pairings and peruse the components of the collective meal. All of this will be at the wonderful Virginia Aquarium over looking the beautiful Owl Creek.
I can go on but I'm going to copy and paste the official event notice here for you to check out. There's a link below to purchase tickets too, "Early Bird" tickets are on sale until MARCH 24th, 2017 for $75. I hope to see you there!
The Official Stuff:
Join 20 local, regional and national breweries in support of Virginia Aquarium’s Stranding Response Team as they host the “An Evening on the Creek” on March 25th at 6 pm. Each expertly crafted beer, chosen in part for their rarity or limited quantities will be masterfully paired with complementary artisanal eats created by Chef Jason Congleton. Enjoy these rare, limited quantity beers and amazing food all while overlooking the beautiful view of Owls Creek and stunning environment of the VA Aquarium.
Tasting Station 1: "Bourbon Barrel Aged"
Goose Island Bourbon County '14, Oskar Blues Barrel Aged Ten Fidy '16, Bell's Black Note '16, Founders KBS '17.
(GF) European Cheese & Charcuterie Platter- Rabbit & White Wine Sausage, Wild Boar with Cranberries & Shiraz Sausage, Garlic & Herb Gouda, Dilled Havarti, Aged Provolone, Creamy Gorgonzola, 3 year aged White Cheddar, Spicy Garlic Pickled Veggies (V) *Without the Sausages*
Tasting Station 2: "Sours"
Avery Raspberry Sour, New Belgium La Folie, Brouwerji Omer Vander Ghinste Cuvee Jacobins Rouge, Commonwealth Sophrosyne Sour Saison.
Bavarian Style Smoked & Beer Braised Wild Antelope Bratwurst with House made “Southkraut”, Quick Pickles, & Creole Grain Mustard Crème in Split Top Lobster Roll (Stadium Dog on steroids)
Tasting Station 3: "Hopped Up"
O'Connor Heavy Footer, Starr Hill King of Hop, Alewerks Bitterest Valentine, Heavy Seas Alpha Effect.
Schweineschnitzel Street Taco – Savory Pan Sauteed Breaded Chicken Tenderloin Cutlet with hints of Lemon & Citrus, Red Cabbage & Local Apple Slaw for a little sweetness, Spicy German Potato Drizzle
Tasting Station 4: "Tasting Room Only"
Smartmouth IV Chocolate Porter, Devils Backbone Cocoa Bear (Russian Imperial Stout), Back Bay Owls Kreek (Farmhouse style mixed grain Grisette w montmorency cherries), Young Veterans Brewing Company Goat Locker.
German Spaetzle, sautéed with Wild Forest Mushroom Glace & topped with 48 hour Beer Marinated & House Rub Seasoned Flat Iron Steak (V) *Without the Steak*
**each week new limited beers will be announced!**
Station 5: "Free Pour"
Center of the Universe Pocahoptas, Bold Mariner Frogman Lager, Bold Rock Citrus CIder and Port City Optimal Wit will be on-site with your favorite local craft brews.
Poke Bowl – Duet of Garlicky Spiced Arctic Char & Eastern Shore Blue Crab With Citrus Essence Poke, Shaved Carrot, Pickled Shallot, Diced Mango & Pineapple, Red Ginger Wakame “Salad”, Toasted Sesame, Honey-Gochujang Mayonnaise, Rainbow Trout Roe, Sticky Rice
Image courtesy of Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay
Chefs Jet Tila and Fabio Viviani Face Off in Virginia Beach!
Something exciting is happening next week, especially for those who like to following cooking shows on TV. Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay will be hosting an “An Evening in Culinary Excellence”. This charity dinner will have not one, but two famous chefs that have previously visited the community through the Celebrity Chef Series - Chef Fabio Viviani and Chef Jet Tila. The two chefs will each perform a cooking demonstration for the audience in addition to orchestrating meals for dinner. Chef Tila will be performing a cooking demonstration of Black Cod Misoyaki, Forbidden Rice and Chef Viviani will cook Fresh Egg Pasta. The charity event benefits the Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Guests will be enjoying some of Fabio's wines from his collections, an open bar, and a four course meal directed by the chefs. The meals will be made up of both the chef's recipes and prepared by the Westminster-Canterbury Culinary team under the leadership of Executive Chef Sandra Suria. The team at the retirement community is top-notch and knows how to execute a big meal like this so it's done right. I was very impressed when I had my meal there and am very excited about this one.
After the meal guests will get the opportunity to vote for their favorite entree! Here’s what’s cooking:
Amuse
Arancini with Pancetta (Fabio Viviani recipe)
Petite Salads
Butter Lettuce Salad with pomegranate seeds, apples and shaved celery (Fabio Viviani recipe)
Yuzu Crab and Avocado Salad (Jet Tila recipe)
Duo Entrée (plated separately)
Burrata, blistered tomatoes, pine nuts and marinated beef filet (Fabio Viviani)
Black Cod Misoyaki, Forbidden Rice (Jet Tila)
Dessert
Buttermilk Panna Cotta with tropical fruit (Jet Tila)
Shared Table Dessert Signature Chocolate Lavender Truffle (Westminster-Canterbury Culinary Team)
Though I didn’t get to attend Chef Viviani’s dinner at Westminster a few years ago, I was able to catch Chef Tila when he was here and it was a ton of fun. There was a lot of banter, moving around with tables and of course the food! Auction was held at the end of the demonstration that got a little out-of-hand, but in a good way. The proceeds for that also went to Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Also, if I recall correctly, Chef Tila said something along the lines of taking down Chef Viviani if the the two of them ever met at Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay in the future. Looks like that day has come! This should be a lot of fun to watch and I really appreciate being invited to attend.
Here's a little bit about the chefs.
The Le Cordon Bleu trained Chef Tila has been in working in the industry for over 20 years and is famous for Thai and Chinese cooking. Being part Thai and Cantonese he grew up with the two distinct cooking styles and spent a lot of time in his family’s well-known, Los Angeles based restaurant Royal Thai. After committing himself to his work he’s been involved in countless projects around the country and has appeared on several television shows such Cutthroat Kitchen and Chopped. He was a contender on Iron Chef going head-to-head with Chef Morimoto – Tila didn’t win but he only lost by two points!
Florence born Chef Fabio Viviani is best known for his run on Bravo's hit reality series Top Chef earning the title of "Fan Favorite". By the time he was 27 he operated 7 restaurants in his hometown and was involved in several other ventures. He moved to California in 2007 opening Café Firenze, and later, Siena Tavern in Chicago, IL. Afterwards he put a few more openings under his belt and even launching his own wine line - Fabio Viviani Wine Collection. Viviani is now a regular on the food entertainment circuits including television appearances, festivals, global food events, and signature cookware.
General admission tickets ($125) include the demonstration and dinner, while the VIP tickets ($250) allow you to attend an early Cocktail Reception an hour before the dinner. Sponser Tables at two different levels Table Sponsor ($2,000) and Silver Sponsor ($1,000) can be purchased too, head over to the site to see the details for each level of benefit associated with the purchase.
The event will be held at 6:30 P.M., October 25, 2016 at Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay, 3100 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach.
To purchase your tickets and reserve a seat, follow this LINK or call 877-320-2066.
Sorry Chef Viviani, I have lots of photo of Jet from his visit last year ;)
Hashi at Esoteric
Hashi's Ross Riddle jumped into Esoteric's kitchen next to the restaurant's own Ian Hock to serve a great brunch to lucky patrons. You always know when you're eating Hashi, whatever it's form.
See all the photos from the pop-up here.
Fire & Vine - Virginia Beach Restaurant Week 2016
It’s Virginia Beach Restaurant Week 2016! You have till Sunday to enjoy great specials at some of the area’s best eateries! We stopped by Fire & Vine for lunch, $12 gets you three course. I left happy :)
Image courtesy of Mace and Crown
The Hunt for Norfolk's Best Pizza
I have been fortunate enough to be invited to join a panel of judges at my old Alma mater - Old Dominion University - to eat a lot of pizza. I'm talking 6-8 pizzas in four categories! I don't mean I'm actually going to eat 6-8 pizzas (maybe) but we'll have samples of each to determine what we thinks qualify and the king of pies! That rhymed!
I can't mention who the contestants are but when I follow up I'll give the skinny on who threw their hat in the ring.
Disclaimer: Your favorite pizza joint might be participating in the contest. Do not get upset, sometimes life is unfair.
Tintype!
We attended the Distinction Bootlegger's Ball this past weekend and had a great time. Shelby and I both dressed up and won the costume contest!
I'll get more photos up later this week but here is how the tintype turned out and you can check out our outfits.
Celebrity Chef Jet Tila to Host 2nd Annual Cooking Demonstration and Dinner at Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay
Coming to town next week is something pretty spiffy – Los Angeles Chef Jet Tila will be in town on September 23rd to perform in a Celebrity Chef event that includes a cooking demonstration and benefit dinner for the Westminster-Canterbury Foundation. This of course will be in Virginia Beach at Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay off Shore Drive.
The Le Cordon Bleu trained Chef Tila has been in working in the industry for over 20 years and is famous for Thai and Chinese cooking (especially his Drunken Noodles.) Being part Thai and Cantonese he grew up with the two distinct cooking styles and spent a lot of time in his family’s well-known, Los Angeles based restaurant Royal Thai. After committing himself to his work he’s been involved in countless projects around the country and has appeared on several television shows such Cutthroat Kitchen and Chopped. He was a contender on Iron Chef going head-to-head with Chef Morimoto – Tila didn’t win but he only lost by two points! He also appeared on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, giving Bourdain a tour of Thai Town in L.A.
As a testament to the quality and care put into telling the story of his heritage through food, he was named Culinary Ambassador of Thai Cuisine by the Royal Thai Consul-General in Los Angeles. Fun facts – he has set three world records for the world’s largest stir fry (4,010 lbs.), the world’s largest seafood stew (6,656 lbs.), and the largest California roll (422 ft.).
The dinner even at Westminster-Canterbury will be made up of a cooking demonstration by Chef Tila then a 3-course meal consisting of the following:
- Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
- Satay Lamb Chops with Peanut Sauce
- Roasted Salmon with Mango Slaw and Ancient Grains
- Dessert Course: Poached Asian Pear over Almond Cake with Franzipan cookie, toasted almonds, Japanese pinwheel
General admission tickets ($100) include the demonstration and dinner, while the VIP tickets ($150) allow you to attend an early Cocktail Reception an hour before the dinner. Sponser Tables ($1,750) can be purchased too, the table will get you 8 VIP Cocktail Reception RSVPs. In addition to early entrance, VIP guests will get to meet Chef Tila during the Cocktail Reception and will receive the following: personalized autographed photo, apron and Cutthroat Kitchen wooden cutting board.
It should be a great time and I’m really looking forward to trying that food. Hope to see you there!
To purchase your tickets and reserve a seat, visit www.wcbay.com/chef or contact Ashley Allman at (757) 496-1106 or Ashley.Allman@wcbay.com.
Virginia Craft Beer & Wine Festival 2015
We're going to the Virginia Craft Beer & Wine Festival this year for the first time. I'll be honest and say I can't remember the last time I've been to an event in Portsmouth. I guess it would have to have been the Portsmouth Dishcrawl over two years ago! Here is more info from the event's Facebook page:
This Saturday's event will be held from 12:00pm-5:00pm and will feature some of the finest selections of craft breweries and wineries, all hand picked and selected from right here in the state of Virginia.
Tickets are just $35 and include unlimited sampling, a commemorative festival glass, tons of great food options and live entertainment all afternoon featuring Mike Profitt & Dana Silver Cloud.
Breweries include: O’Connor Brewing Company, Smartmouth Brewing Company, Back Bay Brewing Company, Young Veterans Brewing Company, St. George Brewing Company, Larry’s Lemonade, Ale Works Brewing Company, Legend Brewing Company, Devils Backbone Brewing Company, Bold Rock Hard Cider, Starr Hill Brewing Company & Center of the Universe. Each brewery will feature multiple selections of some of the finest craft beers in the state of Virginia for guests to enjoy all afternoon.
Wineries include: Rapidan River Winery, Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery, Barboursville Winery, Trump Winery, Williamsburg Winery, Horton Vineyards & Lake Anna Winery. Each winery will feature multiple selections of premium wines from right here in the state of Virginia for guests to enjoy all afternoon.
Tickets are on sale now at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion Box Office and at all Ticketmaster locations. You can also purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com.
For more information on The Virginia Craft Beer and Wine Festival, visit www.PavilionConcerts.com, or call 757-393-8181.
The Virginia Craft Beer & Wine Festival is proudly sponsored by nTelos Wirless, Hoffman Beverage, Republic National, Rick Hendrick Cadillac, Coastal Limousines and is produced by Integrated Management Group. Proceeds from this year’s event benefit the Virginia Legends Walk Foundation.
Support the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program
I don't usually copy and paste info in the blog here but I did want to put the word out about the Virginia Wounded Warrior event tonight at Bailey's Sports Grille in Newport News tonight! Press release is below.
BAILEY’S IN NEWPORT NEWS, VA TO HOST BENEFIT FOR
VIRGINIA WOUNDED WARRIOR PROGRAM
ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015
NEWPORT NEWS, VA (August 2015) – Bailey’s in Newport News is teaming up with the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program to support Virginia Veterans and their families. Bailey’s, located at 12300 Jefferson Avenue, will host a celebration to benefit the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program on Thursday, August 27, 2015.
From 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. party guests are invited to enjoy a complimentary sampling of Bailey’s signature dishes such as the Black Forest, Olympian Hummus and Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs along with raffle giveaways. $2 Blackened Fish and Ranchero Chicken Tacos as well as $4.50 House Margaritas will be served until 7 p.m.
Bailey’s will donate 10% of sales for the entire day and night of Thursday, August 27 to the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, which is dedicated to improving and expanding services to Virginia veterans and their family members coping with the impact of deployment, military service, post-traumatic stress, operational stress and/or traumatic brain injury. Donations help VWWP meet the critical treatment and supportive service needs of the Veterans and their families.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Bailey’s for their celebration event and are so grateful that they have chosen to support our efforts in meeting the needs of our Virginia Veterans,” said Carol Berg, Region 5 Director of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program. “We are looking forward to a fun and festive event. We invite everyone to come and join our team on August 27!”
Bailey’s in Newport News offers 30 High Definition TVs; great games including pool; nearly 100 kinds of beer, including 42 beers on tap, 20 of which are craft and 12 of which are local; and a deliciously crafted menu for sharing, snacking as well as dining.
Bailey’s in Newport News is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. For more information, reservations or to book a private event, call Bailey’s at (757) 881-9180 or visit us at www.BaileysSportsGrille.com, Facebook and Twitter.
About the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program
The Virginia Wounded Warrior Program (VWWP) is operated by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services in cooperation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. Virginia Wounded Warrior Program (VWWP) was established in 2008 in response to the growing need to improve and expand services to our nation’s veterans and their family members coping with the impact of deployment, military service, post-traumatic stress, operational stress and/or traumatic brain injury. VWWP monitors and coordinates the delivery of behavioral health, rehabilitative, and supportive services for Virginia Veterans and their families.
The VWWP works to ensure that Virginia Veterans do not slip through the cracks and that adequate and timely assessment, treatment, and support are available to promote resilience and recovery. Through an extensive network of Federal, State, and Local partnerships, the VWWP proudly serves veterans of any era who are Virginia residents; members of the Virginia National Guard and Armed Forces Reserves not in active federal service; and family members of those veterans and service members. For more information, visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.
About Virginia Veterans Services Foundation (VVSF)
VVSF is a charitable organization as defined in section 170 (c) (1) of the US Internal Revenue Code and sections 2.2-2715-2719 of the Code of Virginia. VVSF is authorized to raise and accept donations for the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program by the referenced Code sections and the Virginia state office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs. Virginia Veterans Services Foundation (VVSF) manages donations to the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program (VWWP). 100% of donations received go to veterans and their families. No donations to VWWP are used for administration, staff or fundraising. More information on VVSF can be found at www.virginiaveteransservicesfoundation.org or www.vvsf.org.
Last Call Operating Co. owns and operates 58 sports bars and pubs in 21 states under the banners of the Bailey’s Sports Grille and Fox & Hound names. The restaurants provide a comfortable venue for people to catch their favorite game, socialize with a drink, play pool or darts, and grab a bite with friends. With nearly 100 kinds of beer available in every location, the restaurants are a beer lover’s paradise, and with a full bar of wine and spirits and an extensive menu, Bailey’s is the perfect place for any occasion. For reservations or to book a private event, please call your Bailey’s or visit www.BaileysSportsGrille.com, Facebook and Twitter.
Me and Shelby at Diner en Blanc - Hampton Roads
Diner en Blanc Hampton Roads
Image courtesy of Dîner en Blanc
Diner en Blanc - Hampton Roads is here!
Dîner en Blanc! Sounds fancy, well it kinda is and it’s coming to Hampton Roads! According to Dîner en Blanc the legend, it was first started by François Pasquier 25 years ago as a way of catching up with friends after he spent some time away from France. They decided to meet at the Bois de Boulogne and dress in white so they could easily find each other. It's now grown into a international business after Pasquier's son, Aymeric, held the first one in North America in his new hometown of Montreal. The rest is history.
First things first.
I am a Team Leader for the event which means I captain a bus and a table. I’ve been asking friends to join me and Shelby so we could all sit together and I thought I had the bus filled but it didn’t work out that way. So if you want to go, contact me and we’ll dine together – I want my bus filled!
Here are the facts, and I make it a point to tell people this up front:
- It costs $94.40 per couple (that includes a Dîner en Blanc membership fee of $8 and $4.40 tax)
- The location is secret
- You must wear all white, shoes don’t have to be but they prefer it
- It is formal. No shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops, etc…
- You bring your own food you prepare beforehand
- You must bring your own table and chairs, they need to be white or covered with white
- The table must be between 27” to 34” square, no exceptions. It must have a table cloth
- No plastic utensils, plates, or cups. It’s gotta be the real thing
- Everyone will be take a motor coach to the event and will leave by motor coach when the event is over
- There is no after-party at our event.
Those are the rules! I want to be up front with people and let them know that parameters have been set and need to be met if you want to participate. No one is required to attend and no one is forcing anyone to spend their money to attend and buy all the stuff needed to meet the requirements. If you don’t like it, you just don’t go. Simple.
Will it be fun. Absolutely! This is going to be a very interesting experience, the fact that some work is put into attending makes it that much more satisfying once all is said and done. For those who signed up, the race is on to find a while outfit, tables, chairs, place settings and a 3-course meal to bring. Dîner en Blanc does offer packages that includes everything you need, including food, but that’s part of the fun too. Shelby was saying I better not get too complicated with the meal because I’ll get these big ideas in my head about what I’m going to cook and then it takes me a day to get a meal done.
Check out the links below, if you're interested message me! I can help you sign up. If you want to ride my coach, look for group leader Stevie Jordan during registration. You'll see me, George Culver, in her group. Select my bus and done!
Dîner en Blanc – Hampton Roads
The Virginian-Pilot's Lorraine Eaton and Jamesetta M. Walker has a nice write-up on the event.
Image courtesy of Diner en Blanc
Crabbie's Visits Hampton Roads!
This past week I was contacted by Jennie who is working on getting the word out about Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer. We've enjoyed it before, it's good stuff. We first bought it because the thistle on the label caught our eye. Shelby is half Scottish so she naturally to support her kin!
Read MoreRed, White & Brew
Drink the District is following up their highly successful Hampton Roads Beer Fest at the Zoo with "Red, White & Brew", also at the Virginia Zoo, 13 June 2015. This Americana-themed craft beer and wine tasting event will feature 35 craft breweries, 18 wineries, domestic party water trucks, apple pie eating contests, a DJ and a special appearance and performance by former contestant on The Voice, Sam James.
There will be two sessions: 2:30-5:30 PM and 7:00-10:00.
Children are not permitted to the event and people are not allowed to jump into any of the cages with the animals (leave the tigers alone!)
The last event sold out quick so make sure you buy your tickets now! If you use the following link you will get you a $10 discount with your online purchase!
You can also use the coupon code "iheartfood" for a $10 discount.
Check out photos from the last Hampton Roads Drink the District event:
Time for another edition of...
It's been a while but checking out today's event list I had to do a quick post about all the drinking that is going to happen on this fine day in May!
9th Annual Spring Town Point Virginia Wine Festival
Fearnought Release and Derby Party
Town Center Craft Beer Festival
Ironclad Series Debut Bottle Release: Bourbon Barrel Aged Robust Porter
The Mariner's Museum Craft Beer Festival
I'm sure mint juleps (blech) will be downed by many and not to mention all the fight parties tonight!
Be safe out there!