Update: My Edible Week on the Road Via Instagram

Between Eddie spending last weekend with me, a quick 2-hour away staycay in Keswick Hall, and a quick visit to my old stomping school grounds in Charlottesville, VA, I got to do some serious damage in the way of eating great food. I started Sunday night at a local Thai restaurant in Arlington my father came across on Google. Good ol’ Google landed us in a sketchy looking strip mall. Mami and Eddie swear by Thai so it was a risky choice. So it seemed. Eddie’s whole fried fish, which to my taste and knowledge was way too crunchy — where’s the meat?! — was actually good and Mami’s oyster meal was good-looking. I picked off everyone’s plate and ordered a simple but divine mushroom and vegetable soup, which I’m trying to recreate.

For a shady looking strip mall, Thai Square did its thing. And, it’s a always a marvelous sign when local the Thai eat there. We’ll be back and I’ll offer up a proper review. It was that good.

I trekked off to Keswick bright and early Monday morning after Eddie took off for the week. I was there on a mini, very personal, and intimate “get-to- know- Charlottesville-all-over-again” retreat, starting at Keswick Hall, a centuries old Estate built by the Crawford family and later bought by Laura Ashley‘s ex-husband/widower, who transformed the property to the massive grounds it is today. More on that later as I do some research and craft a historical picture of a place I knew very little of.

Between the low-key adventures like visiting Ash-Lawn Highland, James Monroe’s modest house (though sitting on plush and massive land behind TJ’s Monticello) and a teaser horseback riding lesson with the dollest cowgirl ever, I got to dig in, mostly at Keswick Hall — at Fossett’s Restaurant — where the food was unique and fantastic, but service trumped it all.

From lunch to dessert and iced espresso by the pool, finishing with a breezy al fresco dinner… all alone… these were a few — just a few — of my bites for the week as shared on Instagram… where most things are perfectly delicious!

Grilled chicken with a robust garlic and butter sauce served with the best polenta. Oh yes. It was perfect.

I should have had 2nds. But I would have come off as greedy. It was everything. Especially that garlic sauce.

And then I stared at this cast iron baked peach cobbler for about 10 minutes before taking a few bites.

And then I chaneled my Jackie O and sat by the infinity pool and sipped on a triple shot iced espresso. And then a hot one.

I sat here, on Fossett‘s patio,  all alone, pondering the look of the new golf course being built… and then was glad I was alone for just a bit. Until a mosquito bit me and some bird droppings decided to join me for dinner.

But the corn dusted trout with okra and stewed onions made me feel so much better.

And this triple cap for breakfast the next morning sang to me while I read the Washington Post.

And even though I had more food one 5’1 woman can or should stand to eat in 36 hours, I went all in for this smoked okra and stewed tomato soup at Whiskey Jar at the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville. Of course I had cornbread and a main course, but that’ll be part of a full recap of my lush visit to Central Virginia.

Barring Eddie not being with me in the ‘Ville, my week was going great, until I come home to find this beauty baby sitting on my dining room table, clean as granite counter top and smooth as butter…. just waiting for me. A vintage red flame — though I like to call it ombré — Le Creuset Dutch Oven. About 50 years old. Vintage. Used one. I’m in love and she came to momma!

What a week!  And now Eddie’s back so it’s even better. That means more good eatin’ around here. Because I become the happiest fat girl when he’s around.

#FlanFridays will be back next week. If you missed last week’s, here you go. Treat your eyes to some delight.

I also did a sister post on chic travel on my fashion/lifestyle/beauty blog, B So Chic! Check it out!

Eat well, love unapologetically, pray with true intention, and take care of yourself.

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