Will Run for Beer!

Last Thursday we completed the Hardywood Twilight 4 miler, our second race of the year- 5 days after our first race of the year! A few mishaps turned us back into walkers (Kate was recovering from a stomach virus that's only plus was a 6 pound weight loss in 36 hours, and Heather suffered an undefined knee injury during the race). We will be registering for a 3rd race soon- let us know if you have any recommendations for us!

 This was the first year Hardywood has had a race, which they dubbed The Block Party with a 4 Mile Cover Charge. Overall, everything ran smoothly (except for Heather's knee)! We thought it was well executed- enough space for everyone to hang before and after the race, plenty of parking down the street at the Diamond, and a friendly crowd.  As with any new event, some improvements could be made. Here are some kuddos and suggestions for next year:

Kuddos:

• Really smart to have a drink ticket for runners attached to the bib.
• Pre-sale drink tickets during packet pickup- genius!
• Police support at intersections was fantastic! Thanks guys and gals for all that you do everyday.
• The community support in the fan was amazing. It's great to have a cheering section as you run though the fan!
• The signage at the race and along the way was fun, especially at the end when we needed a laugh.
• The free parking at the Diamond was greatly appreciated. Plus the half mile or so walk to the race was a good warm up.
• Really well staffed with volunteers/staff throughout the entire event.
• We LOVED the course!

Suggestions:

• A few signs marking the distance just to let you know how far you've come and how far you have to go.
• Cuter tee shirts. We actually liked the ones the volunteers and staff had a lot. The grey ones with the logo was a bit masculine for us.
• One more beer truck to help alleviate the long post race lines. 
• Add a second hand washing station by the port-o-potties.
• Spread out the heats at the starting line- we started back with the "Will Walk for Beer" group, but were surrounded by folks running once we were off.
• An MC to announce what was going on.
• A better defined Finish Line. It was a bit anticlimactic at the end- I mean, we just did 4 miles! We needed something more impressive!

We can't wait to run this race next year! We hope you'll join us!

Heather, Kate and Ashley post race

Our reward for running! (by that we mean mostly walking)

Cheers!

K&H

Color Us Awesome!!!

Is there something in my hair?

Last Saturday, we ran the Color Me Rad 5k and had a fantastic time!  And, by ran we mean ran non-stop the entire 3.1 miles in approximately 36 minutes! We are proud and have no problem bragging about our success. Hoping for repeat success this Thursday, at the Hardywood Brewery Twilight 4 Miler.  

Before and after the race with Team Zing Zang!

Lovely shoes, Heather, Nicole, Kate & Mary

Kate & Heather, looking and feeling fabulous!

This is how team Zing Zang celebrates!

Cheers! 
K&H

Beer Festival, you broke my heart!

Festival Junkie!

Kate here, known to many as a festival junkie. I just love a good gathering of folks to celebrate something random, especially if it's food! Going to college in eastern North Carolina, I spent many a weekend day celebrating watermelons, azaleas, Pepsi (although I'm still on team Coke) and collards. These festivals were celebrated in small, rural communities, complete with a parade, a Queen and LOTS of funnel cake. When I moved to Richmond in 2000, I was ecstatic when I learned of the many fabulous urban festivals the city had to offer. Some of my favorites include Broad Appetit, Lebanese Food Festival, Richmond Vegetarian Festival, Greek Festival, and the Folk Festival. When I heard that Carytown was putting on a craft beer festival, I had high hopes for another great festival to add to the list.

We got our tickets a few days before the event, knowing that the great weather forecast and the love that Richmonders have for festivals and beer was giving the festival a good chance of selling out. I will say, we were a bit hesitant at $15 bucks a pop, but decided it would be worth it for the tastings and the pint glass. Based on conversations with friends, purchasing the tickets in advance was smart, as many folks waited 45+ minutes just to buy their tickets, and had to pay $20 each.

So here's what I liked about the festival. It's a good idea, no, a GREAT idea. The local beer scene is booming, and it's awesome to see a festival to enlighten Richmonders that there is more beer out there beyond PBR and Bud Light. From what I was able to see, the selection was decent- some local favorites like Starr Hill and Devil's Backbone, and some breweries my husband and I hadn't heard of (Lickinghole Creek? Awesome!). The staff and volunteers we interacted with were in great spirits and super friendly, and since we had our tickets, we got in the gates really quick. And as with any festival, I enjoyed running into people I haven't seen in a while and catching up.

However, it was poorly planned for the crowd. Cary Court is just too small of a space for the number of tickets that were sold. The event was 12-6, and we arrived after 1pm. The pint glasses were long gone, so we were given a plastic cup for sampling. Then we had to figure out what was going on. The whole area was a just bunch of lines going one way and another. It was difficult to figure out what line was for what brewery or food vendor. In fact, we tried to work our way near the beer tents, and follow the line from the front to get to the end. The first line we got in moved pretty quickly. Unfortunately we didn't have the beer & vendor list (none to be found when we arrived), and this particular brewery had two beers available to choose from, neither style was one we enjoy. We took our samples (maybe 3 ounces?) and got into another line. That line was a bit longer. After one hour, two small samples, we were ready to go. It was also a shame that you had to choose only one of two beers at each tent- if you wanted to try the other one, back to the end of the line!

We knew going into this that it was going to be crowded. But it was uncomfortably packed. Fortunately everyone that we encountered was in a pleasant mood, despite the lines. You could tell everyone was frustrated, and disappointed, but tried to make the most of it. I left feeling exactly that. We toyed with the idea of trying to go back later in the day, but it didn't happen. I checked out the Facebook posts later, and it sounds like we were not alone.

I hope the organizers try again, and I hope they plan smarter. The layout of the beer vendors was actually good, just way too many people to make it work. Consider blocking off the streets for a few blocks to help spread out the crowd.  Better estimate the number of pint glasses (Yes, I know it said "While supplies last" in small letters, but folks coming in less than an hour of the festival didn't get glasses). Offer water dispensers for the Designated Drivers as well for the beer drinkers. Better estimate the capacity of the area and only sell tickets for that capacity. You can count on it selling out- it's a great weather month & we love beer!

Did anyone else brave the festival? How was your experience?

Until the next festival,

Kate

Sunshine Fun Times

The sun is finally shining and Spring is in full swing!  Flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, fresh air is filling the house through open windows…life is good.

 Can’t you just hear the birds in symphony?

As we are always looking for an excuse to have a party we had an impromptu gathering last Wednesday to celebrate our friend Ashley’s birthday.  Yes, even though it was her birthday our get together was very impromptu.  You know how we love birthdays and gatherings.  

 “That’s what life is all about: Let’s have a party. Let’s have it tonight.”   

Lilly Pulitzer 1931-2013

Give us an hour and we will have us a party!

The Birthday girl was supposed to go to see Morrissey, but since he cancelled- party time! 

Saturday’s great weather brought success and fun to Kate’s yard sale. Friends Kri and Martin brought about 1,200 records, which were all sold! Another friend Nicole got ride of a car load of stuff too. Kri got her craft on and made a bunch of bowls from scratched up records. Kate whipped up some wine bags, which were used for bartering goods and as a thank you gift to our Bloody Mary bartender, Mary (Or should I say Bloody Mary Mary?). At the end of the day we have a little more cash in our wallets, but more importantly, the basement has less junk in it!

It's always wine time!

Can't think of a groovier way to serve chips!

Next on the Nitty Gritty projects list for the month: gardening and lots of yard work, spring organizing of the home office, playing with chalk board paint, outdoor pergola curtains and much much more! As we complete these projects, we plan to post plenty of pictures and any how-to-dos!

Tonight we are headed back to class one more time to view the presentations put together by the PR and Brand Promotion class at VCU based on our guest speaking visit from last week. We are looking forward to hearing their insights on how to make Cocktails and Glitter the best blog ever!

Tomorrow we have book club with one of the coolest, funniest, smartest groups of ladies you will ever meet. Our book club rocks! We will be discussing over yummy food and wine State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. The last chapter will blow you away.

This weekend is the Monument 10K. Heather will be cheering on her dear friend Lauren who will be in town to run the 10K in support of Comfort Camp.  Sunday Funday will be spent in Carytown at the Carytown Beer Festival! 

Next weekend is our moment of truth as we take on the Color Me Rad run April 20, 2013 with our team the Zing Zangs! Time to cram in a little last minute training!

Cheers!

K&H

Back to School

Last night we had the privilege of being guest speakers at VCU's PR and Brand Promotion class. Our little ole blog is one of their class projects to review and come up with recommendations. We had a great time and loved hearing everyone's thoughts and suggestions. We can't wait to hear the final presentations! Thanks!

Keeping it classy at VCU

Eggs anyone?

Greetings!

It has been a busy and exciting week! Here are some highlights:

• Happy Hour at Fat Dragon. This was our first HH at Fat Dragon, and we had a fantastic time! The food and drink specials were great- $2 off of apps, $3.50 rail drinks (their rails were not crap liquor- decent stuff), $2 off drafts, and $5 wine by the glass selection. We will definitely be going back- we give 10 martinis- a perfect score!
• Three Sheets to the Wind put on a great show at the National on Friday!  They are always a blast to watch, and the crowd was clearly having an awesome time. We can't wait until their next show!

  

  It was a smooth time had by all.



Buffalo Deviled Eggs? Yes, please!

• Easter for both us of had last minute changes in plans. The weather was not stellar in Richmond- so neither of us made it to Monument Ave for Easter on Parade. Due to unforeseen circumstances, both our Easter dinner plans were cancelled, leaving us both with dozens of boiled eggs, ready to be deviled. We are trying to be creative in how to use these eggs: Egg salad and several twists on deviling have been consumed in the last few days by us and our husbands. Check out our Pinterest page for some ideas!

April is already in full swing with many happenings around town. The Richmond Flying Squirrels have their opening game on April 4th, complete with fireworks after the show. Spring break is happening for most schools this week, so the museums and parks have plenty going on for families. We are about to find out if all our training has paid off for the upcoming running races this month. Everyone in town seems to be training for something- the Monument Ave 10k, Color Me Rad, Hardywood 4miler...and many more! Search for more races here. We also learned today that one of our favorite radio programs, Prairie Home Companion, will be coming to Maymont this summer as part of the Groovin' concert series! Tickets go on sale next week.

Since many of us are hitting the pavement, either in running shoes or sandals, here's a friendly reminder for the gals out there: It's time for a pedi! Whether you do one at home or hit the salon, it is that time of year to make your toes and feet look great. Guys, you may want to consider it too.

Kate and her hubby are planning a spring yard sale for the weekend and are looking forward to the extra space in the basement! Whatever money is made will be going toward outdoor improvement projects. If you're on the Northside of Richmond this Saturday (April 6th, 9-1) come on by and check it out!  The weather is going to be great for a little outdoor shopping. No early birds, but we will be open to a Bloody Mary on the porch with you during the sale!

The sign is the hook to reel in your customers! BUY BUY BUY!!!

Congratulations to our friends Meghan and Travis on the Easter arrival of their little boy! He surprised everyone by coming a few weeks early, but everyone is doing great. We have been over the moon with excitement for this arrival, even if it means Kate has a ton of eggs to eat.

Cheers,

K&H