On the Market.

202 Market is now serving lunch. Their awnings haven’t made their grand entrance yet, but I’m told it’s only a matter of days before they’ll be in place for outdoor dining. In the meantime you can still enjoy a tapas style lunch in the form of an all you can eat buffet for $12. Lunch is served from 11:30am to 1:30pm and is of course cooked up by 202’s extraordinary Executive Chef Chad Scott.

Speaking of 202, the City Elixir that was held at 202 on Tuesday was fabulous. While the service was unfortunately somewhat lacking - our server was new and I’m thinking more than a little overwhelmed amidst the chaos and influx of people - the food was, as always, excellent. 202 Market simply has a knack for consistency where the quality of their cuisine is concerned.

The Ministers of Soul, a local band that plays great soul tunes, played Tuesday night as the main music act. They were very good and really blew me away. I would recommend hearing them play if you ever have the chance. I was also able to enjoy music from students of the Downtown Music Lab. The Downtown Music Lab is a non-profit that offers after school music lessons for kids in grades 6 - 12. The $10 donation everyone made at the door was donated to the Music Lab.

I’ll be back at 202 on Friday to hear Chris Duarte play. He’s another incredible musician. We heard him several months ago at 202 for the first time and he was so good we’re going back. He plays a really mean guitar, has a fantastic voice, and some really great songs that are a mix of blues and rock. Though he did play one song I loved called Los Angeles that strayed from his usual style. It sort of sounded like Cake on acid, and I mean that as the highest sort of compliment. Unfortunately the song isn’t on any of his CDs yet. Anyway, I’m going with both Adam (husband), Cody (son), and Jake and Lisa (friends.) Cody will be having his last big hooray before school starts on Tuesday, and we’ll also be celebrating Jake’s new job. If you can’t get into 202 - last time there was standing room only before all was said and done - swing by anyway and stand outside for a listen. You’ll be able to hear Chris playing through the glass.

DRI sure knows how to throw a party. Tuesday’s send off bash for Hope Hollingsworth - our now former Market Manager - and Mae Huff - DRI’s former book keeper - was actually open bar. O-P-E-N-B-A-R. Wow. I though that was pretty generous. Not to mention the two former employees each received a departure gift in the form of a painting from a local artist. This was definitely in stark contrast to when David Diaz - the former Executive Director for DRI - gave notice. I heard that the board voted to let Diaz go immediately seeing as how they were rather ticked off that he came back from a year in Iraq - a year with a paid salary from DRI - only to have him hunt down a new job elsewhere behind DRI’s back two months back into his position.

Oh, and just in case you missed it, here’s the low down on plans for acquiring a new Market Manager:

We have made arrangements for Peggy Gebauer to serve as Market Manager on an interim/part time basis. Peggy will manage the Market Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Kathy Kinsey and Tina Workman of the DRI staff will handle market management functions Monday through Thursday. Once a new executive director is hired a search for a permanent Market Manager will be conducted. We will of course seek input from vendors on the Market and other stakeholders. We expect to make a decision on a new executive director for DRI by the end of September and hope to have someone in the position by November 1.

Tom McKeon
Chairman, DRI Board

Well, Saturday I forgot my memory card for my camera even after I made sure to check that I hadn’t left it in the card reader. Apparently it had gotten buried on my desk. Between receipts and bills I can never seen to keep the sucker clean. By the time Adam came down to help me pass the time and brought my memory card with him, it was just too hot to even move, much less go around snapping photos. Not to mention I’d been relieved of all the sunflowers I was selling for Miller Spring Farms that had had honey bees swarming around them all day. There were a handful of people who did manage to capture their own shots though. There was one new vendor on Saturday who looked like they were selling iron work and dinner bells, but I didn’t really have much time to get away, and Adam didn’t stay long because it was just too hot. I almost considered dipping my feet in a bucket of cold water again, but I didn’t want anyone else asking if that was me on the news a few weeks back with my feet in a bucket and a car interior of 160 degrees. I’m thinking no more me on the news. Anyhow, by the time I left the Market around 4:30 on Saturday, the thermostat on my car read 101 degrees outside. Not to mention the humidity. At least we got a bit of rain Sunday, thank goodness. My grass is actually starting to “green up” again after Tuesday’s storm and yesterday’s downpours.

Saturday officially marked Hope’s last day as the Manager for the Roanoke City Market. This morning she started her job managing the Second Yard over on Crystal Springs Ave. in Roanoke. Apparently there was some confusion over a Roanoke Times article that lead many people to believe she was headed to Charlottesville. Obviously, that isn’t the case. Anyhow, Hope plans to join us back on the Market in the fall as a vendor after she’s had some time to build up some stock. She’s looking forward to it, actually, even more so now that she won’t have any responsibility. Peggy, who sells baked goods throughout the week by Gary’s produce outside of Wertz’s, is now the interim Market Manager. I mentioned to Peggy that I was worried about who they’d give the position to permanently, and she told me not to worry that nothing was going to change. Maybe she knows something I don’t. Of course, it’s not like I ever got a response to my email inquiries which has done nothing but fuel my concern. Anyhow, DRI’s wishing Hope a happy send off with a private party at Trio Tuesday night (Aug. 28th) from 5:30 to 7pm.

Cheryl Dolby, a local fine artist best known for her Native American sculptures, is also the author of several books. Last week I squeezed in the time to read one of her more recent book published in 1996, Woman Within the Web. Not knowing really what to expect from this book, I was very pleasantly surprised to be hooked from the start, and found myself reading Woman Within the Web not only while cooking dinner, but also eating dinner. I just couldn’t put it down. Cheryl herself is one of the main characters in the novel, a woman rediscovering herself after an emotional abusive marriage that has finally ended after a long 30 year span, and a mother still struggling with her son, Charlie’s, paranoid schizophrenia.

The book begins with Cheryl’s trip to France to engage in a month long class with an eccentric sculptor. While there, Cheryl also hopes to find a clinic she’s heard of that has had much success in treating individuals with mental illnesses. The story continues by moving between Cheryl’s time in France, where she meets many friends who have been reincarnated from the past, and her marriage as she struggles through her husband’s alcoholism and her son’s schizophrenia in hopes of finding a successful treatment for him. Woman Within the Web is a truly compelling story that gives you a heartening glimpse into real events from Cheryl’s life and then weaves them magically into poetic fiction that is sure to capture your heart and touch a small piece of your soul.

You can purchase this book from Cheryl when she’s downtown, most Fridays and Saturdays, on the Roanoke City Market. You can also find used copies of Woman Within the Web online from Amazon.

Well, he shares things he finds on the internet anyway. Here’s today’s instant message:

Wife of a geek got mad at him because he went out drinking without her… So how did she get back at him?
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=269668408&size=o

Cody, my fabulous ten-year old, acquired two books last week courtesy of moi - Betty Crocker Kids Cook! and The ”What’s Happening to My Body” Book for Boys.

Betty Crocker Kids Cook!
I purchased Kids Cook! on a suggestion by Lindsey Nair. The book contains 66 different, kid-friendly recipes and is illustrated with fun characters to get your child excited about cooking. Created for kids 10 - 12, the book contains recipes for breakfast, lunch, snacks & drinks, sides, dinner, and desserts. The front and back covers contain illustrations for the tools of the trade, and there are also pages for definitions, kitchen abc’s, and the food pyramid.

Cody really loves this book. In fact as soon as it arrived he was handing me a grocery list so he could make dinner on Friday night. He got started a bit early though and whipped up some Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for lunch for him and Adam Friday afternoon. Unfortunately Cody learned the hard way that if you’re using professional cookware that the times are off a bit. He cooked the grilled cheese between medium low and medium - the book suggested medium heat - giving the first side the full five minutes it advised. They burned a bit. So keep this in mind if you have good cookware. The sandwiches were still salvaged, however, and filled two hungry tummies while I baked downtown on Market St.

For dinner, Cody made Mini Meat Loaves and Pasta Tubes & Tomato Salad. They both turned out great and Cody needed minimal help to get going. And of course his cooking fun didn’t stop there. He had to make pancakes by himself over at Grandma Cathy’s on Sunday morning. So now I’m considering purchasing Emeril’s There’s a Chef in My Soup!: Recipes for the Kid in Everyone by Emeril Lagasse for him.

The ”What’s Happening to My Body” Book for Boys
Cody is ten. This book is recommended for boys ten and up. (Kind of scary isn’t it?) I am so not a boy, so I didn’t feel like I could really answer Cody’s questions about what puberty for boys is like. And Adam wasn’t much help either. He just told Cody that it was okay to play with himself as he got older, but to be sure he did it in the shower so Mom didn’t find any surprise messes she’d have to clean up. So, wisely, I bought a book. Now Cody has always been pretty comfortable talking about his body as we’ve had age appropriate conversations since he was around four. However, I had not expected for him to come to me the afternoon he received the book and tell me “Mom, I’ve started early puberty.” As I choke, I ask “How do you know?” “Well, I’ve started to grow hair on my testicles.” And I’m the one who gets the giggles, being slightly embarrassed on top of freaking out that my son is only ten and still has a year of elementary school left. On the other hand, at least I know he’ll be able to handle the “condom talk” down the road without freaking out and getting embarrassed. That’s gotta be a good thing, right? Incidentally, you can also purchase The ”What’s Happening to My Body” Book for Girls.

I found the most amazing little handmade journal online last month. It was so cute that I just had to have it! This Green Tea Mini Leather Journal (pictured) was created by Renate, a self-employed web designer living in Austria. (See another photo.) Her journals, which come in a variety of sizes, are created with the intention to be lovely not only to the eye, but to the touch as well. Each books is wholly unique and given special attention as they are individually crafted with love. The shipment of my journal was incredibly speedy, and it made a great gift for a fellow vendor. You can purchase your own handmade journal by visiting http://Kreativlink.etsy.com. The journals start at $12 and worldwide shipping is available. Also be sure to check out Renate’s blog at http://www.kreativling.at.

Eric Fitzpatrick held his first of two art classes on the Market Saturday. You can catch him in action again next Saturday from 9am to 11am as he teaches ten students the basics of watercolors.

You’ll also catch Bolt Milling Company - who has become a regular Market presence - again this coming Saturday with their cornmeal and buckwheat flour. Come see their gris mill in action.

On a more serious front, there’s a lot of concern among Market vendors concerning Hope’s impending departure as Market Manager. Rumors are circulating that a vendor is interested in the position which a majority of the vendors are concerned would be a huge conflict of interest. It’s also been said that Larry Black - former judge, magistrate, and Market Manager - will be throwing his hat in for the job as well. While some vendors remember him fondly for his fairness, there are others who aren’t so happy about the idea of him coming back and would prefer to see the Market move forward rather than backward. There was an unpleasant incident when Black first claimed his position as Market Manager and decided secondary contracts on the farmer’s stalls were no longer necessary resulting in them being dissolved entirely for a six month period. As a result there were a lot of unhappy vendors and a lot of lost revenue for the city itself. It’s also been overheard that perhaps DRI may be changing the role of Market Manager to a more defunct role as someone who will merely assign spaces and collect fees. In the interim, while we’re waiting to see who will be hired, it has been confirmed that Tina Workman - Office and Events Manager - will take over assigning spaces and collecting fees during the week, while a vendor who already serves as a Market Clerk on Sundays to handle assignments and fees will assume the role on Saturdays in addition to her Sunday position. Also noteworthy, Mae Huff - who has done part time book keeping for DRI about a day a week - has also resigned from her position. I am told this is completely coincidental. A farewell party for both Hope and Mae is being hosted following Hope’s departure for vendors to share their last hooray with the pair. I’ll try to dig up more info from DRI to settle the rumors. Hopefully they’ll be receptive and share with us.

Also of interest, that whole shuttle bus from Carilion to downtown Roanoke thing we’ve been hearing about - well, the city wants downtown business owners to kick in and help pay for it. This has angered a lot of business owners, many of whom have more recently experienced financial hardships due to declining business in the area. The shuttle buses will also cost more than the city will make off charging folks to park on nights and weekends in downtown garages. And why shuttle buses? Is it just a ploy to make us all forget they’re raising rates wherever they can by giving Roanoke something for free? I have no doubt the new fees will be implemented as soon as they think everyone’s forgotten about them. Additionally, there are already complaints swirling around downtown over the surface lots the city just took back over as they’ve raised the daily rates on them from $3 to $6. And still, with the biggest complaint being parking in downtown, the city just doesn’t seem to want to listen. I’ve also randomly heard that there is a group with connections to Carilion that would like to see DRI dissolved so they can take over with their own non-profit with a similar function. Roanoke is full of scary, scary politics lately…

And now, well, I figured I’d share some of my Market favorites for the week. Tim Belcher was selling some of the best blueberries ever this week. His berries are super sweet and actually grown by himself on his farm. However, I was disappointed to discover Tim was out of berries by Saturday. Apparently the dry weather has affected his crops and many of his blueberries are now shriveling on the vines. Keep his berries in mind for next year though, if you aren’t able to get your hands on any before summer’s out. This week I also enjoyed a fabulous Club Sandwich for lunch from Adobe Salad Works and a great dinner at Martin’s Downtown Bar & Grill.

Further, I hear that 202 Market will begin serving lunch as soon as the awning they have planned for their outdoor dining area is installed.

Chris Duarte is making another appearance at 202 Market on Friday, August 31st at 9pm. Chris plays this great rock-a-billy style blues and is just an incredible musician and singer. Adam and I first heard him play at 202 some time back and were floored by how great he was. That night 202 was packed with standing room only in the bar area and people in droves standing outside the restaurant just to hear him play. We bought two of his albums that night, plus several for friends and everyone we’ve lent or given an album too was as impressed as were were. So if you have the chance, head down on the last day of the month to hear Chris. You’ll be glad you did. The cover, incidentally, is $17 and worth every penny.

Lindsey Nair’s blog - Fridge Magnet - recently had a post on restaurant service. Comments were taken and one reader recommended Martin’s Downtown Bar & Grill as a restaurant with top notch service. So I took that reader’s suggestion and ran with it. Despite my fellow market vendor, Brian, believing it’s really nothing more than a bar that reminds him of a cafeteria - he must be on drugs, truly, though of course he’s never actually EATEN there - they do serve quite a tasty line up for dinner with dishes like Prime Rib, St. Louis Style BBQ Ribs, and Angus Steaks along with starters that include Baked Brie, Portabella Brushetta, and Mini Crab Cakes which are new to the menu. Adam - my geeky, yet gruff hubby - and I took the opportunity to eat at Martin’s last night.

Our dinner started with a fabulous server named Suzi, who I will give credit right off for earning every penny of her tip. She was not only courteous and attentive, but had that great knack for predicting our needs beforehand - a gift that too many servers seem to lack nowadays. We promptly ordered the Baked Brie to wet our appetite. The Brie was delicious and came with an assortment of fruit, bread, and marinara sauce topped with parmesan. It’s definitely worth having if you decide to stop in yourself. Adam and I cleaned up the plate on this dish.

As for the actual meal, I ordered a Caesar Salad and a half rack of the St. Louis Style Ribs with Tangy Carolina BBQ Sauce. After having received some soggy, just plain bad salads from other restaurants, I was truly impressed with Martin’s Caesar Salad. The lettuce was nice and crisp, the croutons were good, and there was just the right amount dressing that not only tasted great, but was obviously made with real anchovies. And the ribs? Oh my god. Wonderful. They were oh so tender and very tasty - some of the best I’ve had in a very long time. The only other ribs in the area that I know of that come close are those at Brambleton Deli. And even then, there’s no comparison.

Adam ordered the Western Burger for his dinner. Which is kind of funny as our friends Jake and Lisa from our Wii nights showed up at Martin’s not five minutes after we did, and Jake ordered the Western Burger as well. Both Adam and Jake ordered a medium burger, and both Adam and Jake got a medium cooked burger. Which personally for us is a miracle as it seems no matter where Adam goes the burger is never cooked medium despite what he asked for. Also, coincidentally, Jake and Adam considered the new Bourbon Glazed Angus NY Strip. As Adam’s burger was cooked to perfection, we’re going back so he can try the Strip next go round. Anyhow, the Western was stacked with what looked to be between 1/3lb. and 1/2lb. of meat along with smoked bacon, cheddar, and a jumbo fried onion Ring that held in the BBQ sauce. Adam could barely get his mouth around it, and ended up finishing most of it with a fork. He couldn’t even eat the whole thing as he amazingly ran out of room in that stomach of his. He was also pleased with the fries as they were not only tasty, but crisp, and everything came straight out of the kitchen nice and piping hot.

For dessert, Lisa, at her table a few spots up, enjoyed the Chocolate Lava which she described as super rich and definitely the “decadent” dessert Martin’s describes it as. Adam and I enjoyed after dinner Martinis. I had a Godiva Martini made with Godiva Chocolate Liquors, and Adam gave the Wild Berry Martini which sort of shocked me. He’s normally a beer man and comes across as very gruff and man-like, yet he completely fell for this *cough* girly, blue drink. *snicker.* And geez, how could a Godiva Martini not rock my world? Even better, they weren’t stingy with the alcohol.

Anyhow, we loved the food and we loved the service. Our bill was under $50 and we left full and happy. What’s more, Martin’s has officially replaced 202 Market as my favorite all time restaurant. So we just have to go back now and try everything else on the menu.

Martin’s, by the way, also serves lunch. I read on their website that they will deliver if you work downtown so guess what I’m having for lunch this coming week! They are located at 431 1st behind the Texas Tavern at the corner of Luck and 1st, and you can call (540) 985-6278 for reservations or more information. Hope to see you there!