Photo by Noi Pattanan/Thinkstock
It’s the height of summer, and RVA’s got caffeinated cats and rooftop dogs, sad drinks, and eggs in purgatory. Not sure I even want to mention the poor chickens that are in need of a little help in the bedroom. Nah, sure I will.
The One by the Place With the Cats
Zoomies Cat Lounge opened in Shockoe Bottom at 1704 W. Main a few months ago as a place to relax and literally rent time with a cat, or do some yoga, with a cat (watching you, not participating). Plus, if you were so inclined, you might bond with one of their rescue cats and give them a forever home. Now the second stage of the cat cafe is complete with Central Purrk opening next door. You won’t find Ross and Chandler hogging the best table every day, but you will find Blanchard’s coffee, teas, iced drinks and an array of pastries from Red Cap Patisserie, all of which you can eat there or take next door to share with a special feline friend.
The One With the Dog on the Roof
Yep, it’s that time of year again. You know, National Hot Dog Day. In honor of the occasion (back on Wednesday, but who's counting?), Quirk Hotel at 201 W. Broad St. is rolling out the red carpet this Sunday evening on their rooftop bar and serving a gourmet lamb-and-rosemary dog or their signature Roof Top Dog. Either way, sit back, relax, enjoy the views of the city and let Executive Chef David Dunlap do the grilling.
The One With the Chicken and the Egg
The restaurant of the moment is Brenner Pass at 3200 Rockbridge St. in Scott’s Addition. The city is split between people who have been and people who are planning to go. Yet another enticement for prospective or returning patrons: This Sunday, Brenner Pass opens for brunch with offerings such as Eggs in Purgatory (with escarole and chili), Confit Chicken Thigh Hash and a breakfast croissant with rabbit sausage.
The One Where Everyone Melted
It’s hot. It’s miserable. If you’re not one of the lucky ones escaping with your friends to the beach this coming week, you’re sure to be unhappy. Fortunately, there’s a place you can be unhappy with others: the Poe Museum’s Unhappy Hour on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. Drinks, Poe-themed things and music by The League of Space Pirates. The perfect place for those of us stuck here under the swinging pendulum.
The One With the Burnt Taco Shell
The fire at Don’t Look Back (2929 W. Cary) has put the taco spot out of commission for what looks to be the rest of the year. According to owner Hamooda Shami, the RVA dining community has really stepped up and offered extra shifts and temporary jobs to his displaced staff. Since that isn’t always enough to make up for a sudden loss of regular income, a series of music shows to benefit the staff has been organized and will take place over three nights starting Aug. 3 at Flora (203 N. Lombardy), Aug. 4 at The Camel (1621 W. Broad), and Aug. 5 at Three Notch’d Brewing Co. (2930 W. Broad).
News From Beyond
If you can’t beat them…
Many a chef cringes at the thought of their dishes wilting away while diners spend precious minutes trying to get the perfect Instagram shot of their meal. Dirty Bones, a restaurant in London, has decided to just give in to the inevitable. They’ll loan you a kit with items like selfie sticks and a clip-on wide-angle lens to help you get that perfect shot. They’ve even designed their menu around dishes that are deemed to be the most photogenic. We may never eat our food while it's still hot again.
The law of unintended consequences
For decades we have been breeding chickens to be bigger and grow faster while keeping those birds dirt cheap for consumers. Today’s chicken looks gargantuan compared to those on the market 40 or 50 years ago. The era of big birds may, however, have hit a bump on the road. Bigger birds are turning out to be a little lazy and a little top-heavy, meaning they aren’t getting as busy as they used to. The recent 1 percent drop in reproduction might not sound like much, but if scientists can’t fix the problem, we all might be looking at smaller breasts and costlier thighs.
A rose by any other name
Craft whisky. It makes sense. Different barrels, varied ingredients, assorted aging times. All can produce wildly different results. Same with craft gins. Distilling with different herbs and botanicals makes for gins that run the gamut from amazingly complex to, well, Christmas tree. Craft vodkas, though … vodka, by definition, is supposed to be neutral — odorless and tasteless. So how do so many brands get away with charging premium prices for something indistinguishable from much cheaper versions? Marketing.
