In (I think) the town of Gainesville (or was it Gainesboro??), where Route 15 joins Route 29, there was a place called the Blue Ridge Seafood Restaurant. Really small-town-y. We're a little inland, but so far, I'm on board. But the sign out front said..."We have crabs." At first I thought that was a hoot, and then I thought, "Am I being unfair? I mean, is that the most natural way to say that, and it just has a second meaning?"
So I did a wee mental exercise. Suppose I'm a seafood restaurant, and I want my potential customers to know I'm offering in-season fresh lobster...what do I put on the sign? Serving lobster...we serve lobster...fresh lobster!...lobster dinner...hmm, "We have lobster" doesn't make the list. So, apparently somebody in semi-rural northern Virginia has crabs. Sadly, my shutter-finger wasn't fast enough to get a pic to share with you all.
Anyway, other highlights awaited. Right near my hotel was a Kroger! For y'all in other areas, that's a midwestern grocery store chain centered in Cincinnati. On the west coast, it flies under the alias of Ralph's. But I had no idea they had them in Virginia - I haven't seen one since we left Michigan. I think my Kroger card number should still work - I get to get my groceries for the week or two at an old familiar! And, there are several antique stores a few miles from the hotel. I shall have to visit...maybe they sell actual diamond-in-the-rough antiques, rather than worn and faded pieces from the 1980s marked at double the original selling price. (Annandale Salvation Army, are you listening?)
I'm also still up to my old tricks with regard to hypothetical home redecorations. I figured I'd take a quick peek at what's on Craig's List here in Charlottesville. So this is a little pricey ($750), but look at all the stuff! It's got a big oven, and a separate broiler, and a griddle thing, and it's older, and it's commercial-grade...I need to find me one of these around where I live. For a bit less. Um, after I buy this house...
