Sine

Irish pubs. The idea is always fun, but the reality often leaves more to be desired. At least, since I haven't been to Ireland I'd like to think their pubs are actually a lot more fun. But this one wasn't bad. And since I ordered a martini (I know all the beer drinkers can groan in unison), I thought it should be included in the quest.

This is an unusual post since I wasn't with Mandy nor was I even in Charlotte. I went for a quick weekend in Richmond to visit my sister, her hubby, and my darling niece, Trinity. After a grueling day of getting our nails and eyebrows done, and a very quick jaunt into Target, we realized we were very hungry and needed to get a cocktail and an appetizer.

Rebecca isn't big on going to downtown Richmond. With me being a non mother and her being a mother, I have absolutely no idea what it is like to have a child you cannot give back on any day of the week, so why she doesn't go downtown very often is outside my capacity to comprehend. But I am being less than understanding so I didn't make a big fuss out of her not knowing exactly where we were headed when we got there.

Parking. It can be a challenge in any city. But for two women who are hungry and lacking any sense of direction in where they are and where they are going, parking became a major issue. More of a comedy of errors than anything else. Once downtown we realized we needed to eat before we even found a gallery to visit, and by the time we got there (4:00) and figured out where we wanted to eat, we realized the galleries would be closing once we'd eaten so we may as well skip them. Why are we downtown again? Oh yes, well now it is to eat instead of look at art. That's fine with me, we'll do it next time and we'll plan it a little better (I'll find the galleries and hours - and parking - and then I'll drive). Besides, I love to eat.

Europa - if you are in Richmond and you like food GO HERE. It is fantastic.

That is our final destination and after driving down Cary Street 4 times, we find it. And then we drive by twice more while we look for a place to park. I remembered seeing one up the street, but when we turned around to go back we didn't go up far enough so we missed it. And then we realized there had been a parking lot so we went back up to the lot, but there was no entry from our one way street position, so we went down again. But on the eighth try, we DID IT! We pulled into the parking space, adjusted to be inside the lines, and then got out of the car. We walk down to Europa and it starts to rain. No worries, we'll be inside momentarily. Except that when we try the door, it's locked. We cannot go in until 5:30. DAMNIT. But we are hungry. What are we going to do? We just spent 20 minutes and $6 on parking to not eat there? Oh no.

So there's this Irish pub, Sine, up the street (by the parking lot - hee hee), and we decide to go there and have a cocktail and an app. I decide if we are going to have a cocktail it needs to be a proper one, so I order a martini, and Rebecca orders a Guinness. Which is acceptable since we ARE in an Irish pub and she has no idea I am even writing a blog about martinis...this wasn't even going to be on my blog until I ordered it!

Sine is one of those very woody types of places, lots of wood. Tall booths (made of wood), large thick tables, great wooden mouldings around the ceiling, beams, wood floors, and of course, an impressive wooden bar.

We order our drinks and choose an appetizer (spinach and artichoke dip - generic but quite good). The server quickly reappears with our drinks and we fall in, smoking, sipping, generally enjoying the darkness and the raininess of the afternoon. I am smug with our versatility, our ability to plan all sorts of glamorous things and then adapt when they go differently than planned. After our drinks we did go to Europa and I had one of the best meals in my life.

The martini - 8. Sine - 7. But do stop in if you get lost on your way to a gallery.