The Revolving Barstool, or Next!

Story of my life: I went out for a drink and met a restaurant owner. Again. How do they find me?

After my massive meat lunch, I wasn't much in the mood for dinner, but a glass of wine sounded good so I went to Secco. There were two seats at the end of the bar and I took one. The other was to be filled with a revolving cast of talkative couples who would sit and chat for a bit and then move on to a table. Easy come, easy go.

Because the menu promised a Vino Verde unlike any other, I went with the Casa de Mouraz Mica Vino Verde and was rewarded with far more minerality than is typical. My first couple were most enjoyable conversationalists, charming and funny. We got in a discussion of a red wine described as having overtones of bacon. "Bacon makes everything better, " I offered. "Not if you've been a vegetarian for 20 years," she laughed.

Although they go out a lot, they had a tendency to go to the same places so she asked me for a restaurant recommendation for afterwards, I suggested Sprout knowing they could please her and still give him his meat. Interestingly, she asked if I was single and inquired as to how frequently I got asked out when I was out. Let's just say it happens.

Meanwhile, in a vain attempt to mitigate the meat feast earlier, I had the mixed field greens with Caramont chevre, pistachios and lemon thyme vinaigrette. It was a very good salad and I felt better for finally having added a little greenery to my body today.

My next couple and I debated relativity. I asked him if they lived in the neighborhood and he said no. "So you couldn't walk home if you had to?" I inquired. No. When he asked where I lived, I said it would be a two-mile walk for me home. All of a sudden, he was correcting himself. "Well, it's only a mile and a half for me, so I could walk it." It was funny how it became walkable for him once he learned I was willing to walk further. Must have been the competitive type.

Looking for something new, I ordered the Benaza Godello based on its promise of peach and zestiness, both of which delivered. About then Farouk walked in with friends, a sure sign he was not working behind the bar tonight. That's when I was introduced to the owner of a Warrenton eatery, Carl.

He too was raised in the DC area, so we compared growing up stories, of being the minority in our high schools, our still-in-love parents and the importance of the journey, not the destination in life. His parents live in Berlin and since I'd just seen an exhibit of street art from Berlin, we got into a great discussion of art and culture. Even better, he's as much a music fanatic as I am, except he also does music production. Once he discovered I knew Thievery Corporation, we were off and running.

When Farouk realized that it was my mix being played, he made a point of going behind the bar and turning up the volume for all to hear. It was great because that enabled Carl to use my song choices as jumping off points for musical discussion (hearing the National on the mix, he asked, "So you were a Joy Division fan?" Bingo). You couldn't have shut us up.

Coincidentally, at the start of the evening, I had met a girl who had just returned from eight years in Italy. She's looking for an apartment in Jackson Ward for herself and her 15-year old dog (been there, done that, got the heartache for it) to no avail.

I was telling her about all the wonderful things that have changed in RVA since she left (the VMFA, Center Stage, the National) and when I asked why she'd decided to return here, she said simply, "I missed Richmond. It's so great here."

Craig's List having failed her so far, I promised to keep an eye out for For Rent signs in the 'hood and let her know what I found. Vacating her bar stool, I'd told her to send in a talkative replacement, preferably a nerdy guy looking for friendship. "I'll look for glasses or a guy reading a book, " she promised.

And in comes a restaurant owner who's into music and makes a point of enjoying life. Wait, that's not nerdy friend material...or is it?