February 11, 2022 Lunch - The Boathouse at Sunday Park. Dinner - Oyster Tailgate at Virginia Fine Arts Museum

February 11, 2022  Lunch - The Boathouse at Sunday Park. Dinner - Oyster Tailgate at Virginia Fine Arts Museum

We got a late start this morning, leaving the hotel at 10:00 t drive to FarmVille to look for the chairs we want for out TV room.

We had not eaten breakfast so we decided to stop on the way for an early lunch.  Suzette found a likely spot named the Boathouse at Sunday Park.  It was an hour drive to FarmVille at we arrived at the Boathouse ar exactly 11:00.  We were the first customers and were given a table at the edge of the large reservoir. Here are some pictures.

The ordering was challenging since we were required to order on line.  Our server became our app guide.  We decided to order 12 oysters of the half shell for $38.00’ 6 Oysters Casino Rockefeller for 18.00 and a side of grilled asparagus for $8.00.

The server, Thomas, brought a taste of four wines, a German Riesling- too sweet, two New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, one over citrus and one good and a rose - also good.

Plus there was a 20% gratuity added.  We loved the Cobb Farm oysters, nut found the $100.00 + tab a bit steep for only 18 oysters.

We found the Casino/Rockefeller combination very appealing with béchamel sauce, fried bacon, and spinach nestled impressive the shell with the shucked oyster and baked.

After lunch we drove on the FarmVille and spent about an hour sitting in chairs before we decided to buy the two Jennifer Charles Model 162 SGs. SG stands for Swivel Glider.  They have large rounded arms that go all the way to the front of the chair, so it is easy for me to push up out of them, especially if I glide the chair forward to get some momentum going forward. The backs are also 39 or 40 inches high so our heads do not fall back and the chair fully supports our body.

They were not cheap and it mat take up to a year to get them delivered, because the leather must be ordered and we need to approve rather piece of leather and then they must be constructed, but they are exactly what we want, comfortable leather seats.

We finished buying the chairs around 2:30 or 3:00 and decided to drive back to Richmond and eat dinner and then go to the Virginia Fine Arts Museum, that was open until 9:00 to see the Man Ray exhibit and the Faberge Russian Imperial eggs.  

We recalled that Whole Foods sold shucked oysters for $1.00 each on Fridays, so we called the Richmond store and confirmed that they did.  We immediately changed our itinerary and set out for Whole Foods when the fish department confirmed they did offer $1.00 shucked oysters.  Suzette ordered 3 dozen. One dozen each of Rappahannock, Slippery Sliders, and happy.  While they were being shucked, we shopped for food?  We bought two apples, a baguette, a local Tomme cheese and a wedge of Spanish Cordobas, a box of salted chocolate English toffee squares, a bottle of French Entre Duex Mer, cocktail sauce, and a corkscrew opener all for. $65.00. We drove to the Virginia Fine Arts Museum and parked in the parking lot of the Natural History Museum, next door and tailgated.  We each ate 18 oysters, cheese, and baguette until we were stuffed.

Then we parked in front of the Fine Arts Museum and spent the next two hours viewing the collection.  We started by viewing the Man Ray photographs.  It is clear that Man Ray photographed everyone who was important in Paris from 1921 until 1940.  Here are some of the photos.

We then went to tHe Faberge collection.  The museum has five Imperial eggs and a collection of over 300 objects, about half of which are Faberge. 

There were also some amazing pictures, including a large collection collected by Paul Mellon of French Impressionists and Fauvists.  Here are some more paintings.  

At 8:30 we were tired and drove back to the hotel and put on our pajamas.   We Suzette went to bed but I watched the Olympics and watched the U.S. v. Canada hockey game.

Bon Appetit