Lunch at European Market and Cafe

It's the week for me to lunch with each of my photographer friends and today we convened at the European Market and Cafe on Main Street to see what they could do for us. I've been to several of their First Friday wine dinners (the best wine dinner value in rva, imho), so I knew their food was good.

With multiple deli cases of meats, wursts of all kinds, cheeses, prepared salads and an extensive sandwich menu, we must have spent the first fifteen minutes just lost in the choices. I had almost decided on the Arc de Triomphe (turkey, bacon, brie with aioli on ciabatta) when I spotted a special that spoke to me: a thin-sliced Angus beef with brie, caramelized onions, roasted red pepper and Dijon mustard panini. Photographer friend got the Calabrese Salad, essentially a large Caprese over mixed greens.

While our taste delights were being assembled, we perused the market stock, admiring marzipan pigs, exotic bottled drinks, salamis, pates and searching in vain for a favorite Pinotage, which was out of stock temporarily. Cafe owner Jason graciously went behind me to look again to ensure I hadn't missed it, but alas. I have no doubt I'll get a call when it arrives.

It was wine rep visiting day, with the entire staff tasting Super Tuscans when I arrived and Morris arriving as we were leaving. You have a to love a job where you're drinking wine at 11:30 in the morning.

My friend and I ambitiously attempted a walk after eating, but the wind convinced us otherwise. Even on the sunny side of the street, two blocks up and back was about all we could manage. Of course I had done my morning walk today, dressed far more suitably, so I wasn't too upset about our abbreviated stroll.

And, being a photographer, my friend shared his thoughts on my latest blog profile picture. He didn't offer to take a replacement shot so maybe he was hoping I'd ask him, but I'd never be so presumptuous. They're just legs, after all, so how important is it to have the definitive picture of them?