I have very few regular haunts in my town. When I was still living in Newport News, there was a tapas bar I frequented (I met one of my closest friends in that bar... we often shut down the place and lingered for hours afterward just talking). That place is no more... I think it's a pizza joint now. It's actually difficult to have any favorite places around here that are not chain restaurants. Independents come and go like fashion fads in this part of the world.
I find this pretty depressing. Anyone offering a truly unique or quality product around here is subject to the peninsula's short attention span. There used to be an old fashioned soda shop and pharmacy in Port Warwick that has also been forced to close. They made the real deal, too... with an old fashioned soda machine that made lime, lemon, and several other deletable fruit sodas. But, you'll have to settle for the syrupy sweet colas in the fridge at Walgreens or CVS from now on.
So, I try to support my favorite local places in Williamsburg. I know it will take more than just me to keep these businesses from dying out, but I'm determined to do my part. One of these places is called Coco. It serves imported and domestic chocolates... gorgeous, unique little things like lavender pepper (sounds weird, but very special), chili pepper, orange and raspberry, candied violet, 99% dark chocolate bits, Earl Grey tea, honey... and the list goes on and on. Alongside these unique chocolates, Coco serves teas and coffees, wines and spirits, fondue, savory and sweet crepes, quiche, etc. It's great for dessert or for something decadent in the afternoon.
When I was working across the street, I used to take my 15 minute breaks at Coco. It got to the point where they would see me coming from across the street and start on my espresso. They'd bring it to me and ask me what sort of chocolate piece I'd like. I either wanted something specific or ask for a surprise. I'd sit in my corner and write while sipping and nibbling. It was a nice way to get out of the shop and savor some delicious peace.
I still try to go when I think about it. I don't have as many convenient excuses to head that way as I used to... and I drink less coffee than I did then (I'm pretty much a green tea girl in the mornings). We celebrated a friend's birthday there recently and I meet Caro there at random moments to catch up over some wine and chocolate late at night.
Once per week, I make a point to visit The Art Café. Tastefully decorated with local artists' canvases, this place is run by an enthusiastic and witty German lady who has a brilliant European chef on staff. I like this place best for breakfast either on Friday mornings or Saturday after I teach class. They make this wonderful, strong Arabic coffee, and they are one of the few places that tends to have bottled sparkling water (I'm not a fan of still water... I think I've tricked my body into thinking that sparkling water is really soda, so it accepts it). My favorite breakfast special comes with a croissant, two eggs, a small green salad, brie, and toast with jam. It reminds me of my mornings in France as well as coffee with my French friend when she was still in the US.
The chef here is very agreeable. I arranged an event at this place for 6 of my girlfriends... two vegetarians and two with dairy allergies. He made a custom menu for each girl and never raised an eyebrow at my requests. It was a beautiful luncheon and I felt very satisfied with how things turned out... you don't always find that kind of feeling after a catered event. Though the language barrier made our meeting... interesting... he was patient and delivered beyond my expectations.
The chef and the owner are always pleased to see us when we walk in. They bother to remember who we are and what we like. They remember the things we told them the week before and ask how things are going. I feel service like this only exists in either conscientious independent businesses or with the occasional kind server at a chain that sees you more than once per week. I know this is a business tactic... and it still works.
My only other haunt is Food for Thought. It's an odd little place with an interesting idea. It has a literary theme, so the walls are lined with quotes, the cocktails named after authors, the entrees unique and varied (Thai food, American food, vegetarian offerings, etc), and there's a literary trivia card game available to you at some of the tables and at the bar. It's a fun place for dinner and a great place in the afternoon or late evening for a drink with your book or school work.
One of my students is one of the bar tenders there, so, again, it's nice to be recognized. He's still learning my drink (I'm addicted to Manhattans lately), but he greets me and asks how I am in a way that's not angling for a tip. We have a reciprocal exchange in a way... I teach him during the week and on the weekends he's willing to try and make cocktail I might like.
The only other place I've found this sense of familiarity is Floyd, Virginia. They only have about one mile of town where many shops are next to each other. A convenience shop, a bookstore, a coffee joint, a diner, a holistic center (Go figure), an art community center, a health food shop, and, of course, the quintessential small town hardware store. People are friendly, know each other's names, go to each other's churches, etc.
I can see how this sort of life could get tiresome. I went to a private school for one exhaustively obnoxious year. You could not get away from people knowing about every move you make... what boy you like, what boy you really don't like, what grade you received, how you failed in gym, etc. Everyone knows your name and how long you've been attending the school. It was such a nightmare. I begged my mother to send me back to public school... I preferred having a small circle of friends and bumping into some schmo who had no clue who I was at least once a day.
However, at this point in my life, away from home and watching my girlfriends build families and move on, in between the sweating hours of work, it's nice to see a friendly, familiar face... once per week.
I find this pretty depressing. Anyone offering a truly unique or quality product around here is subject to the peninsula's short attention span. There used to be an old fashioned soda shop and pharmacy in Port Warwick that has also been forced to close. They made the real deal, too... with an old fashioned soda machine that made lime, lemon, and several other deletable fruit sodas. But, you'll have to settle for the syrupy sweet colas in the fridge at Walgreens or CVS from now on.
So, I try to support my favorite local places in Williamsburg. I know it will take more than just me to keep these businesses from dying out, but I'm determined to do my part. One of these places is called Coco. It serves imported and domestic chocolates... gorgeous, unique little things like lavender pepper (sounds weird, but very special), chili pepper, orange and raspberry, candied violet, 99% dark chocolate bits, Earl Grey tea, honey... and the list goes on and on. Alongside these unique chocolates, Coco serves teas and coffees, wines and spirits, fondue, savory and sweet crepes, quiche, etc. It's great for dessert or for something decadent in the afternoon.
When I was working across the street, I used to take my 15 minute breaks at Coco. It got to the point where they would see me coming from across the street and start on my espresso. They'd bring it to me and ask me what sort of chocolate piece I'd like. I either wanted something specific or ask for a surprise. I'd sit in my corner and write while sipping and nibbling. It was a nice way to get out of the shop and savor some delicious peace.
I still try to go when I think about it. I don't have as many convenient excuses to head that way as I used to... and I drink less coffee than I did then (I'm pretty much a green tea girl in the mornings). We celebrated a friend's birthday there recently and I meet Caro there at random moments to catch up over some wine and chocolate late at night.
Once per week, I make a point to visit The Art Café. Tastefully decorated with local artists' canvases, this place is run by an enthusiastic and witty German lady who has a brilliant European chef on staff. I like this place best for breakfast either on Friday mornings or Saturday after I teach class. They make this wonderful, strong Arabic coffee, and they are one of the few places that tends to have bottled sparkling water (I'm not a fan of still water... I think I've tricked my body into thinking that sparkling water is really soda, so it accepts it). My favorite breakfast special comes with a croissant, two eggs, a small green salad, brie, and toast with jam. It reminds me of my mornings in France as well as coffee with my French friend when she was still in the US.
The chef here is very agreeable. I arranged an event at this place for 6 of my girlfriends... two vegetarians and two with dairy allergies. He made a custom menu for each girl and never raised an eyebrow at my requests. It was a beautiful luncheon and I felt very satisfied with how things turned out... you don't always find that kind of feeling after a catered event. Though the language barrier made our meeting... interesting... he was patient and delivered beyond my expectations.
The chef and the owner are always pleased to see us when we walk in. They bother to remember who we are and what we like. They remember the things we told them the week before and ask how things are going. I feel service like this only exists in either conscientious independent businesses or with the occasional kind server at a chain that sees you more than once per week. I know this is a business tactic... and it still works.
My only other haunt is Food for Thought. It's an odd little place with an interesting idea. It has a literary theme, so the walls are lined with quotes, the cocktails named after authors, the entrees unique and varied (Thai food, American food, vegetarian offerings, etc), and there's a literary trivia card game available to you at some of the tables and at the bar. It's a fun place for dinner and a great place in the afternoon or late evening for a drink with your book or school work.
One of my students is one of the bar tenders there, so, again, it's nice to be recognized. He's still learning my drink (I'm addicted to Manhattans lately), but he greets me and asks how I am in a way that's not angling for a tip. We have a reciprocal exchange in a way... I teach him during the week and on the weekends he's willing to try and make cocktail I might like.
The only other place I've found this sense of familiarity is Floyd, Virginia. They only have about one mile of town where many shops are next to each other. A convenience shop, a bookstore, a coffee joint, a diner, a holistic center (Go figure), an art community center, a health food shop, and, of course, the quintessential small town hardware store. People are friendly, know each other's names, go to each other's churches, etc.
I can see how this sort of life could get tiresome. I went to a private school for one exhaustively obnoxious year. You could not get away from people knowing about every move you make... what boy you like, what boy you really don't like, what grade you received, how you failed in gym, etc. Everyone knows your name and how long you've been attending the school. It was such a nightmare. I begged my mother to send me back to public school... I preferred having a small circle of friends and bumping into some schmo who had no clue who I was at least once a day.
However, at this point in my life, away from home and watching my girlfriends build families and move on, in between the sweating hours of work, it's nice to see a friendly, familiar face... once per week.
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