Showing Off Richmond

Once you've done an initial tour of Richmond, what's left to show a friend from out of town? How about some of my favorite hangouts?

When I went to leave the house, I saw a group of kids lighting sparklers on the corner of Belvidere and Broad. Smoke was enveloping them, but they appeared to be having a great time swinging them around. Why not sparklers on a street corner on a fall night?

Secco was stop number one. All I know is wine (and he knows much more about wine than I do), but I'd heard from enough beer fans that Secco did them right to know that he'd have some good choices. And there's always the plus of great crowd-watching.

I couldn't resist Julia's favorite Loire breakfast bubbles Tete a Claques, being pink and all, and he went for the Sunner Kolsch. I got a peek at Secco's Restaurant Week menu, which looks to be a most interesting one.

We walked down to Acacia for the prix fix menu after he told me he was in a fish mood. (Dale does more fish and does it better than anyone I know). Friend had the grouper with pasta and I had the mahi-mahi with grits. He got the chocolate dessert and I got the almond cake, it should be noted, since I invariably get the chocolate on the menu.

He was suitably impressed with his rum cooler, courtesy of Arthur (we sat at a table rather than the bar, a first for me, so we couldn't thank Arthur directly) which got me bragging about our local mixologists. I'd already taken him to Julep, so I made our last stop Balliceaux.

Walking in, I asked one of the bartenders which bars were open. "Both," he said, "But Austin's at the front, so you'll go there." Correct he was. We settled in to help Austin kill the rest of the evening (and admire the new Chris Milk Hulbert show hanging in the back room), discussing eateries and bars in the cities Austin had recently been visiting, all the while listening to Animal Collective.

Friend had a Moscow Mule and I had, well, Don Julio. I hate being predictable, but I am what I am. For our second cocktail, I had more Don and he gave Austin free rein and seemed suitably impressed with the results.

But then, Richmond's an impressive town. At least I think so.