Screwdrivers

Our weekend is coming to an end and we just finished Craig's spaghetti (makes great leftovers for work lunches the next day). We were actually amazingly productive this weekend, accomplishing a fair amount of Christmas gift shopping in Glen Allen, where the Virginia Commons Center is located. I managed to finish the bedroom, which consisted of unpacking one last miscellaneous box of books, tucking empty Rubbermaid bins into the closet where fitting, rearranging folded clothes of mine in the dresser drawers, and determining how to shove as many boxes as would fit underneath the beds without being able to see them. While I completed that mission, Craig actually went into the office for a couple of hours. Then Saturday evening we invited a couple of the guys from work to our place. I sat in stunned silence for at least one whole minute at the fact that the boys did not coo over how chic our apartment is. (AB, you will be required to make up for their inabilities or blatant unwillingness to gush over our place!) It was a reminder that boys just really could care less about that kind of thing. Anyway, following a few drinks here, we wandered into the heart of Shockoe Bottom where all the bars are located. We experienced 4 different bars: Lucky Lounge, Tobacco Factory, Sine (accent over the e) and Wonderland. I would review them individually but that wouldn't be too thrilling to read. Basically, the highlight for me may have been at Wonderland, where the wall behind the bar bears a life sized painting of the Captain character from the Rob Zombie movies (just his head). Notably, this particular place contains the tougher side of Richmond, the bikers, the pierced. We ended our evening at this place but the whole time there I couldn't stop eyeing that painted face, laughing to myself that if it weren't for Craig I would never have rented a Rob Zombie movie, and if it weren't for the Rob Zombie movie I would not have been able to recognize the spooky clown guy painted on that wall. I also introduced Craig to a Very Pierced-Faced Girl at the bar as "the coolest guy I have ever met." This morning Craig and I woke up and headed on foot to Millie's Diner, which, I confirmed today at our second Millie's breakfast, is the neatest diner I've been in for breakfast maybe ever. Not long ago I read a review somewhere of the place that instructed Wait if you must, implying that there really isn't an alternative to Millie's, so just wait for it. So this morning we experienced the wait while we sipped coffee out front with others waiting. What Craig and I noticed is that everyone was drinking a morning cocktail. In fact, when Craig went to put our names in, the guy at the end of the bar counter asked him, Can I get you a Bloody Mary, Screwdriver or Mimosa? Craig told me he stared at the guy stupidly, which prompted the guy to ask further, Coffee, OJ, water...? (We opted for coffee for the wait). Seemingly, anyway, it must be a Richmond brunch tradition around here that an adult beverage accompanies your eggs. Millie's is, I must go ahead and say so, better than Ria's Bluebird in Atlanta. The wait staff and cooks (chefs in short order cooks' clothing) are out of a movie, they play music during breakfast in the background (who does that?) like this morning's music mix which consisted of varying oldies blended with an occasional White Stripes or Prince song. The place smells incredible, like good food and coffee. The walls are decorated with eclectic art and over the Exit sign hangs Craig's favorite sign, a wooden painted thing that promises "Free Beer Tomorrow." (Funny). And after being seated in a booth, we both went ahead and ordered a single round of Screwdrivers. Hey, when in Rome, right?