Thursday, December 23, 2010

Carytown Cupcakes – My New Happy Place


Why has no one talked about this sooner?!  Shops devoted solely to cupcakes?? BRILLIANT.  Forget a bakery.  Who needs all that extra bread and blah?  Just give me my sweet mini cakes.
Nestled in a little boutique-type shop on
Colonial Street
right near Coppolas Deli and the Byrd Theatre, they bake their cupcakes from scratch daily and only stay open until the cupcakes sell out.  And the options are skimpy.
They have the classics like vanilla (vanilla cupcake with either vanilla or chocolate buttercream frosting), chocolate (chocolate buttermilk cupcake with either vanilla or chocolate buttercream frosting), carrot (carrot cupcake full of carrots, raisins, and a hint of allspice topped with cream cheese icing and chopped pecans), and red velvet (red cocoa cupcake with cream cheese icing).
They also have unique contraptions, like the hummingbird, which is a sweet cupcake full of pineapple, bananas, and a hint of cinnamon, topped with cream cheese icing with chopped pecans.
My personal favorite is the vegan Oreo cupcake.  Irresistible!
But if these options aren’t enough for you, their weekly specials should help you out.
Look what you could’ve been enjoying this week!
The Weekly Specials
December 21 - 25
Chocolate Peppermint: Chocolate Peppermint Cupcake Topped With Vanilla Buttercream With Crushed Peppermint Candies
Winter Wonderland: Vanilla White Chocolate Chip Cupcake Topped With Vanilla Buttercream And Blue Sugar Snowflakes
Maple Spice: Spice Cake Topped With Maple Buttercream
Chocolate-Orange: Chocolate Cupcake Filled With Orange Buttercream, Topped With Chocolate Ganache And Candied Oranges
Their prices are $2.75 for one cupcake, $16.00 for half a dozen, and $29.00 for one dozen.

And with advance notice, they even deliver orders of 1 dozen or more (for free) to customers within 5 miles from the shop.
Check them out at:
2820-C West Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23221

804.355.CAKE   |  info@carytown-cupcakes.com
Really, please, check them out – because every cupcake you buy is one less that ends up in my belly.  I can’t stay away!

Cinebistro: Opening Weekend and After


It’s all so alluring- a comfy, swanky-looking sitting area outside with coffee tables and leather chairs, a waiting area inside that is cafĂ© (or rather bistro) like, and a beautiful bar with an impressive collection of spirits.  You need all that if you’re at Cinebistro because you can’t go into the actual theater until they announce seating for your movie.
Inside your theater/dining area, leather seats are accented by\ wooden swivel tables and giant wooden arm rests, which come in handy when you realize the swivel table is just big enough to hold one dinner plate and maybe a side plate.  The arm rests are big enough for your extra plates with enough room to spare for a cup/wine glass holder.
During their rough inaugural weekend, there seemed to be two main problems:  a wait staff that seemed unprepared, and an underestimation on quantities of food and some drinks.
Our waiter got held up with one couple for the entire pre-show ordering time.  Since you have to get your food order in before the previews start, this was quite aggravating to our host.  We had most of our questions answered by another employee, but she was “in training” and couldn’t actually take our order.  Luckily another waiter noticed our impatience and was able to step in and help.
They ran out of salmon.  This is unacceptable in my book.  All I wanted was seafood dish, and this was the only one they had.  But it their defense, we went to the 11:00 pm movie, so we may have just missed it.  The 2nd time we went, everything was there and good to go.
The process of ordering dinner goes like this:  you have to know everything you want (appetizers, main course, dessert and drinks) as soon as your waiter comes to greet you.  Be ready when they come up to you, because if you’re not ready they’ll move on to another group and, in my experiences, they don’t come back.  You’ll just have to wait for another waiter to come find you if you don’t make use of your first opportunity.
Your server will put everything you order into a little computer they carry around with them and then print out your check right then and there.  You pay before the movie so that you can leave right after the movie is over without having to wait around (and of course so that no one would leave half way through the movie or something without paying for their dinner).  Now you’ve done all you need to – you’ve ordered and paid for a meal which has yet to come, and you can sit back and enjoy the previews or walk out to the bar to get a refill.  The servers will bring you new alcoholic beverages and soda or water refills while the lights are still on and the previews aren’t too far along, but once the movie starts you’re on your own and have to walk back out to the bar.
And now when you order, they offer bottomless popcorn, twizzlers, or raisinettes to compliment the full-on dinner you just ordered.  It helps remind you that you’re at the movies, not a restaurant; if you’re more into that kinda thing.
The food runners bring out your food during the previews, you have just enough time to set everything up on your tables and arm rests, and then it’s movie time.  And it is extra fantastic with a glass of wine, a tall margarita, or a cold beer to accompany it (or water if that’s your thing). 
Just be aware that if you go to Cinebistro and try to order a “rail” drink or “house” liquor, they’re not going to know what you’re talking about.  There is no Bacardi or low-prices liquors here.  Which is good and bad, depending if you care more about quality or price.
I don’t which thing I like more about Cinebistro, the movie selection (no kiddy movies here since it’s 21 and up only) or the menu (it rivals a normal restaurants menu in selection, price, and quality).  The only (comical) problem with Cinebistro’s menu is, who brings crunchy tortilla chips and guacamole to a movie? No one, because they’re loud as hell!  Our host at the first movie ordered that and it was quite embarrassing.  At first I didn’t notice (even though everyone around us did) and wondered why my friend was giving me weird looks while glancing at our host who was crunching away, but then as soon as I took my first bite, there was an epiphany and immediate end to that appetizer.
But all-in-all, this place has pulled itself together since opening weekend and is an awesome experience.  It’s a one-stop first date shop – forget dinner and a movie the way it used to be.  This kills two birds with one stone.  Or if you want to go out with friends and can’t think of anything to do (and you’re not broke), the ability to choose your seats from a chart on Fandango make it easy to guarantee you all sit together.  We saw some ladies out for what appeared to be a ladies (of the) night out.  Sorry for that bad joke.  Had to be there.
Anyway, if you get the chance, don’t hesitate to check this place.  It’s pretty darn cool.

 


 

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Upcoming Posts

Cinebistro - Opening Weekend vs. Any Weekend After

Music Spotlight - Cultiflyyy

Carytown Cupcakes - My New Happy Place

Music Video Premiere - 6 Track Amateur

And for a little bit of intellectual class, a review of the 6 recent books I've read (some of which you'll definitely know).

For now I'm off to DC to explore the Smithsonian, and shall write and post new blogs upon my return!
Everyone have a great, safe weekend!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

6th Annual Richmond Zombie Walk: Taking Over Carytown Again in 2010



For those of you who missed it – a large group started at Byrd Park while another large group met at the Kroger parking lot at the beginning of Carytown and started walking around 2:00 p.m.  Then the Byrd Park group migrated over and started their walk around 3:00 p.m.

There were many a diverse zombie, much like the previous years.  There were many spectators enjoying the blood thirsty minions.   If you missed it this year, you better make sure you’re there next year.  You’re missing out!








Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween!



Looking to get your drag show fix without having to get up or make the reservations for Godfrey’s drag brunch?  Well then every 3rd Sunday of the month you may be in luck.

Here’s some highlights from the Babe’s Halloween Drag Extravaganza 2 weeks ago.





VMFA After Dark



For a long time (we’re talkin’ two years) I’ve heard about and wanted to attend one of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts presentations of Art After Dark.  They offer food, drink, entertainment, usually some sort of interactive dance or art class, and, of course, of all the works the VMFA has to offer.  Well finally this year I got a chance to attend one.

Their theme of the night I attended (Thursday Oct. 14th I believe) was a relaxed southern, New Orleans theme, complete with shrimp po’ boy sandwiches and waltzing lessons.

For food, besides the shrimp po’ boys, they had salad, fries, and fruit & cheese plates.
They had live music as well as classes on how to waltz (and possibly other dances that I may have missed).  It was a mix of southern jazz and old-timey, southern hospitality.

Several tables were selling liquor, wine and beer.

Everything was purchased by buying tickets for $1 each (food and drinks going for anywhere between $4 and $10) and proceeds go to help our local museum.

If you haven’t checked out a VMFA After Dark event yet, be sure to get down to the museum soon on any Thursday or Friday night until 9 p.m. for music, films, poetry readings, dancing, and other special events.





1708 Gallery presents: InLight Richmond



Friday October 22, 2010, something very strange was going on in Shockoe Bottom on a popular block of Cary Street in the well known area, Shockoe Slip.  From 7:30 p.m. to midnight, the entire street was dark.  Street lights, restaurants, stores, all with no lights. 

1708 Gallery, the non-profit organization started in 1978 by local artists, put on InLight Richmond, a public exhibition of contemporary art inspired by light. Shockoe Slip was transformed by 37 installations created by 60 artists presenting a mix of visual and performance art, like photography, video, sculpture, mixed media, interactive, and sound, digital, showcased in a variety of unexpected spaces, like sidewalks, alleys, walls, storefronts, building facades, instant gallery spaces and more. And this year, emerging and established artists from throughout the United States, and as far away as Australia, were selected for the exhibition.

InLight Richmond kicked-off with rhe Community Lantern Parade at 7:30 p.m. at the James Center Atrium.  They also had the Wearable Art InLight Fashion Show, which is a 1708 Gallery original, created 12 years ago.  The show is a creative fusion of fashion, sculpture, media and movement inspired by light. At 9pm, the winning designs were presented by models at the Shockoe Plaza in front of The Martin Agency.
For more info on 1708 Gallery, check out their website www.1708gallery.org, or stop by the gallery at 319 W. Broad Street.