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 Like many Charlottesville foodies, I've been getting excited about Cville's first-ever RESTAURANT WEEK, July 13th through 19th. For 7 days, participating restaurants will offer 3-course meals for $25. In this age of "I can't really afford to eat out anywhere," a prix fixe menu looks pretty darn good, don't ya think? In a town so laden with great restaurants as Charlottesville, it's definitely an idea whose time has come. So like many of my fellow foodies, I've been perusing the website, getting more and more excited as new restaurants join the cause, looking longingly at all the menus as they get posted. And procrastinating about making reservations. Yep, you heard right. The FOOD BLOGGER is procrastinating about making reservations. For TWO WEEKS my little inside voice has been saying, "You better call, they're going to fill up!" and the other little voice responds with, "Nah, it's summer, less people, all the students are GONE, everybody's on vacation, no one is eating dinner out anyway." Mr. Procrastination has prevented me from writing TONS of best-selling novels, let me tell ya ;-) It drops all kinds of dumb excuses on my head. They make so much SENSE when you think them at the time. Then other things which constitute daily living consume your day right up until it's poof! just gone. It's 11pm and time for bed. Oh, that's okay, I'll call tomorrow... ...and then yesterday's The Hook hit newsstands. What's on the cover? Why, CHARLOTTESVILLE RESTAURANT WEEK of course. !%#$@%!$@%! Double !%@&#@&^#@^! Running for the phone, dialing like someone scrambling for free Bruce Springsteen tickets if you're the 97th caller. Funny how something like the thought that YOU, the amateur food reviewer of Cville, might be shut out of our first-ever restaurant week tends to put a fire under your butt. Phew! That was close. Got mine in - just under the wire. Going to hit two places, one I've never been to, one a return visit. Figured that's about all our wallets could take in one week - and considering I'm backed up on actual POSTED reviews (got 6 drafts going currently) any more would put me over the edge, into "Make it stop!" mode. So if you haven't made your reservations, do it now. Do it, like, I dunno, YESTERDAY. Hell, as I post this, they might be gone already... Participating Restaurants
(Menus posted at the official website)
C & OFossett's at Keswick HallHorse and Hound GastropubCassisl'étoileThe Boars Head - Old Mill RoomThe Melting PotThe Boat House
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| Tags:
week, cville, restaurant, reservations |
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General Convention: Breathing space on same sex blessings
ANAHEIM -- General Convention is over.
The convention ended Friday with a final vote by the House of Deputies on a resolution drafted by the bishops that would allow for a "generous pastoral response" to our gay brothers and sisters seeking to have their unions blessed. It was not a full-fledged endorsement of same-sex blessings, and it certainly was not an endorsement of gay marriage. But it was a giant step forward for this church.
How this plays out in Virginia will take many months, and Bishop Shannon Johnston has signaled he will work with those of us who want to provide blessings for all those living in committed relationships. What such a ceremony might look like I don't know; the resolution calls for developing "resources" for the church. When this will happen I don't know. We await further conversations with our bishop.
But make no mistake, the Church looks different today.
I know that this development will not please many in our church. Many have deep reservations that we are eroding traditional moral standards on marriage; I don't happen to agree, but those who feel differently must be heard and respected. Others will find this too slow and a half-loaf, and perhaps it is. It is up to each of us to take seriously the signs that say "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You" and make it a reality.
My plea is we will give each other breathing space, listen to each other, tell our stories and trust that the Holy Spirit is at work in us and in our church and making us a new creation.
I also hope that we will now stop fighting over sexuality and move onto the issues that threaten our very existence on this planet. I am mindful of Bishop Stephen Charleston's declaration earlier this week that the environmental clock has stopped ticking and the crisis of global warming is upon us. We are God's hands and feet in this world, God's partners, and the Episcopal Church is especially positioned to show how human beings can live together with their differences and find a way forward. I believe Bishop Stephen when he says we are not an accident.
There were many other issues at General Convention, including passage of a budget with $23 million in cuts for the national church, roughly a reduction by a quarter of the budget. Programs were eliminated and staff was laid off. A number of my friends are now looking for work today and recovering from the shock of losing jobs they love.
I will comment further in the next few days about the other issues, our experiences and some of the more zany moments of convention. We ended as we began, in worship, and Lori and I served together holding chalices and serving communion to friends and strangers alike. We are very blessed to be in this church.
Blessings,
Jim & Lori
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What We’re Reading: May 24-28, 2010
Standing Partnership's picks of must-read links for the week
We're all headed out of the office early today to enjoy the nice, long Memorial Day weekend. We hope you are, too, but before you go, here are some fun links to get you in the holiday mood!
We love this story about social media being used to earn St. Louis Cardinal Stan Musial the Presidential Medal of Freedom. You can Stand for Stan, too.
This campaign by Chick-Fil-A to launch its new spicy chicken sandwich is brilliant. We have our reservations. Do you have yours?
Need a sweet treat after that spicy chicken sandwich? Try a Frosty -- and see how Wendy's is revitalizing the Frosty using social media.
This video will make you grin. We hope you have as great a day as Jessica did.
writeFlash({"allowFullScreen":"true","allowscriptaccess":"always","src":"http://www.youtube.com/v/qR3rK0kZFkg&hl=en_US&fs=1&","width":"480","height":"385"});
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That was cool, but scary
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The other day, I mentioned that Cville Weekly sent a photographer here to take pictures for a little feature in their Abode magazine. Well yesterday was a follow visit that included *gulp* a video camera.Caite White, the online editor of Cville Weekly...
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new scenery in another cville
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I'm back in NVA again. It's only been five years since I left but it feels like it's so much longer. Everyday on my way to work this lil shop taunts me with it's previously loved treasures. I can't wait to get a peak inside.
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