A Weekend in Good Company
Dainty Diaries | Richmond, Farmers Markets & the Pleasure of a Weekend Well Spent
THE SATURDAY POUR
I made a plan.
And for once, the plan actually went according to THE plan 😂
I headed to Richmond early Saturday morning with the kind of itinerary I love and what any early bird can appreciate: enough structure to keep me moving, but enough room to wander in case I became distracted.
First stop? The RVA Farmers Market.
I was excited to see it opened at 8 a.m., I figured this was the perfect way to start a Sip Trip. I made my way over and found Espresso Nerds for a Brown Butter Caramel Latte and then wandered into the market with a very specific mission:
Lavender lemonade.Flowers.Vegetables.
Three things.
Surely I could handle three thing right?
I got 2 out of 3
The market had options everywhere, and for being so early, there was a surprisingly nice crowd. Thankfully, it wasn't too people-y becuz yall know how I feel about that until I was leaving.
No lavender lemonade because apparently the vendor wasn't there that day, but I did find some cold-pressed juice and a probiotic drink because I'm working on my gut health.
I also picked up some dry flowers instead of my usual fresh ones. I knew I had more stops ahead and didn't want my flowers sitting in the car slowly becoming a bouquet of regret as they withered away by my distractions of lingering elsewhere too long.
Then came the vegetables.
A little spinach. Herbs. An onion. A basket of Roma tomatoes.
And somewhere between picking up those tomatoes and imagining what I could do with them, I decided I was going to attempt homemade tomato sauce for the first time.
I was already cooking it up in my head and hoping it could translate better in real life.
A LITTLE HISTORY, A LITTLE VINYL
After the market, I headed toward a record store I'd discovered a few weeks earlier after Mason's drop-off. I'd left a Parliament vinyl behind and knew I wanted to go back for it.
Except the store didn't open until 11 and I had an hour to dilly dally.
So I made a little detour to the Black History Museum in Jackson Ward.
Yall know what...what I love about Richmond is its charm. I know because its away from DC it can often times be a forgotten city of its own but any time I visit, I discover more gems and hidden treasures every time. I actually have a staycation on my list to really immerse myself but I digress.
And as luck would have it, there was some sort of running event happening at the park across the street. I walked over and found myself in a sea of beautiful Black people celebrating the completion of their run.
Music. Vendors. Food. Smiles.
I wasn't dressed like I had just completed a 5K, but nobody seemed particularly concerned about that.
And I love that about us.
Black folks can be complete strangers and somehow still make room for you. Sometimes without even saying a word.
There's an unspoken love language amongst us that is difficult to explain but very easy to recognize when you're standing in the middle of it.
It felt good and welcoming.
After getting my dose of history, I headed to the record store, picked up a few albums and then made one more stop for a fish sandwich at GMT before heading North.
Quick OOTD Story:
My hat is from a few Summers ago off Ebay. I wanted to show my personality by wearing it and adding some oomph to a simple attire. I got compliments on it all day. My blue/white stripe blouse is oversized from Old Navy and the jeans are from before the boycott at Target and the bag is vintage ASOS. Now my shoes...FAVES: Project Cloud Platform Sandals (size 9) they feel SO good. I got them earlier in the year and they are currently at an amazing price which is cheaper than what I paid. I knew I'd do a lot of walking and comfort is mandatory. I also wanted my outfit to be loose and airy so I wanted to blend in of sorts and be lowkey but the hat ruined that, lol.
THE LEMONADE DETOUR
By about 1:30, I was on the road and feeling pretty proud of myself.
I was going to make my 4 p.m. arrival home with time to spare.
Except my spirit wasn't settled as I was still thinking about that lavender lemonade.
Google had one more possibility in Downtown Fredericksburg, so naturally, I detoured.
And that's how I stumbled into Made in Virginia, a cute little shop featuring products from local small businesses.
There it was.
Lavender lemonade-to make not in a bottle as planned yet this gave me a trial to try it.
Finally.
Mission accomplished.
I also picked up some homestyle honey, grabbed some popcorn because you really can't go wrong with popcorn, and then somehow ended up purchasing a bottle of pear wine.
Now yall know I don't drink right?!
But pear wine?
That sounded intriguing enough to test drive.
So into the bag it went.
And then I finally headed home.
4 p.m.
I made it.
I was excited to shower and change into some loungewear so I could enjoy my popcorn and pear wine while watching Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Again-I liked it.
SUNDAY, MADE FROM SCRATCH
Sunday morning was quiet.
The kind of quiet I appreciate.
The sun was slowly coming up, the house was still and I had nowhere I needed to rush off to.
I lit my candles, sprayed my home fragrances and proceeded to become the barista because apparently the café is always open when you own the café.
After my social-media allotment, I gathered my lunch ingredients.
But first, the house needed to be handled so I tidy'd up.
And listen...
You know you're grown when a new set of cleaning tablets for the washing machine, dishwasher and toilets makes you excited.
I was genuinely looking forward to cleaning.
Who am I?! Who's That Giiiiiirl, lol.
Once the house was fresh, it was time to play chef.
Those little Roma tomatoes I'd picked up the day before became my experiment.
Herbs. Seasoning. A little patience.
And surprisingly...
It worked.
The sauce was flavorful, fresh and actually tasted like something I wanted to eat again.
I made some linguine, poured myself another glass of that pear wine and sat down to enjoy the fruits of my little farmers-market adventure.
Literally.
A LIFE I LIKE
That's when I had one of those moments where you sit back and realize...
Life is grand.
Not because everything is perfect.
Not because every weekend needs to be packed with plans.
But because sometimes you get to look around at your own life and realize that you're good.
My family is good.
My home is good.
I'm good.
And I'm grateful.
Reality shows are entertainment for me these days. I can chuckle at somebody else's drama, turn off the television and go right back to enjoyin' the peace I've created in my own life becuz it's not so bad afterall.
There is something incredibly rewarding about doing what you said you were going to do.
I planned the weekend.
I took the trip.
I found the lemonade.
I bought the flowers.
I visited the museum.
I bought the records.
I came home on time.
I cleaned my house.
I made the sauce.
I ate and enjoyed the sauce.
And I apparently discovered a new love for pear wine.
I'd say that's a pretty successful weekend.
UNTIL NEXT POUR
I'm thinking farmers markets may need to become part of my weekend routine.
Don't get me wrong, Wegman's is still very much my spot. But there's something different about bringing home ingredients that were grown with care and turning them into something in your own kitchen.
And that sauce?
No heartburn. No acid reflux.
Just flavor.
Jar of sauce no more 😂
Football season has officially begun, my stomach is full and I'm looking forward to one last evening stroll before bed.
Nothing spectacular happened this weekend.
And somehow, everything did.
Maybe that's the real luxury.
Having a life you don't need to escape from.
A weekend you actually enjoyed living.
And enough stillness to notice it.
Until the next pour... keep finding the good stuff hiding in your ordinary days. ☕️
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