The first Friday in 
The first Friday in March was a day we've had circled on our calendar since October. It's the day that Penguin's Snoballs on Little Creek, in Norfolk, opened back up again for the season. Penguin's was our summer 2016 hangout with friends, and when it closed it felt like that episode of 90210 when the Peach Pit is in danger. What would we do without it?

But luckily Penguin's is back and just as great as ever, with the same fluffy New Orleans shaved ice, the dozens of interesting flavors (red velvet cake? cherimoya?), and delicious toppings (condensed milk! Chili lime!) The staff is so friendly and will gladly let you taste test to find the perfect flavor combination. We were so surprised that they remembered us and all of our little munchkins (or maybe we just really did go there all. the. time.)

In any event, we are looking forward to another spring and summer full of deliciousness.

Anouk doesn't remember our first food truck dining experience way back in 2012! But she has been fascinated with the idea of food trucks lately and asking to have a food truck feast all summer (it's on our Not Bummer Summer list ... stay tuned for another update later this week). I'm not exactly sure what she expected she would find but I think it was probably something Willy Wonka/Hansel and Gretelish, like giant vehicles made of food? With donuts for headlights and bananas for fenders?

What we actually did find when we visited the Hub, the Hampton Roads area's first permanent food truck park: Four of the area's best food trucks (there's a rotating roster each day) parked in a little green space between 7th and 8th streets at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Music being played on a patio, picnic tables set up under colorful umbrellas and people playing cornhole under twinkling lights strung through the trees.

We tried to sample something from every truck. Our faves were the bibimbap and fresh mango juice from Seoul757Taco and the BBQ pizza from Bodacious. YUM! Some of the trucks we were really looking forward to seeing weren't there the evening we visited, but that just means we'll have to go back soon.

So yes, no donut-mobiles but still pretty awesome and a great place to hang out on a Saturday night. Would love to see more permanent or semi-regular food truck parks spring up around the area (Town Point Park, Ocean View Beach Park, I'm looking at YOU).

Every time we go to the Outer Banks we come home with a new favorite place to find eatable treats and for this past trip we took in June, the highlight was Zen Pops in Kitty Hawk. I have a milk allergy that makes it difficult to find a place where we can all enjoy (quality) frozen treats together (nobody wants the sad token sorbet. nobody). Luckily, the majority of Zen Pops' menu is dairy free and there are tons of vegan options, so there is something there for everyone. Hooray!

Oh, there's so much to love about this place and I am not just talking the salted caramel pops (my fave) or the coconut lime pzletas (Anouk's) or the made-right-there-in-the-back vegan ice cream cookie (James's). Zen Pops uses organic ingredients (including cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup) and oh, speaking of sugar, all of their recipes feature just 3-5 grams of sugar per serving, so you don't have to worry about the kids bouncing off the walls. All of the packaging is eco-friendly, and even the popsicle sticks are cleaned and recycled and donated to the nearby kids' museum to be used in crafts. Whew!

So yes: we ♥ Zen Pops, forever and ever, and can't wait to visit them again. If you're heading to OBX, stop by!

Next up: scheduling a date night to sample some of those pizzas.



^^ My thoughts exactly, little B. Thanks for summing it up.

While we were in Cheatham Annex with friends over New Year's, we stopped by Williamsburg for an afternoon and ended up having lunch at Peter Chang. I was excited to try it, not only because I'd heard the (authentic Szechuan) cuisine was amazing, but because Peter Chang is one of the most fascinating chefs in the food world. After starting out at the Chinese embassy in DC, he became kind of an elusive figure, suddenly leaving thriving restaurants and popping up at random others (in Knoxville, in Fairfax, in Marietta, GA).

One important thing about Peter Chang is that for as well-regarded as he is, and as sought-after as his cooking is, his restaurant is kid-friendly to the max. We brought a crowd of four small ones with us when we went. Nobody seemed to care that as we were eating food that inspired a "fanatical following" (according to the NYT), our kids were scarfing noodles and trying to slither under their chairs to hide under the tables. The atmosphere was very laid-back -- in fact, there were families everywhere.

Our adventurous eaters tried a little bit of everything: bubble pancakes with curry sauce, dry-fried eggplant (with a texture somewhere between a french-fry and a marshmallow), shredded pork with bamboo shoots, and hot pot -- soup with duck, pork, or seafood served in clay or stone jugs. Oh, and noodles, noodles, noodles galore.

Peter Chang has other restaurants in Richmond, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg and Virginia Beach. The menu is slightly different in each but I highly suggest stopping by for one of his classic dishes if you can!

They say that if you eat a meal with friends to start the new year, it guarantees you will eat many more with them in the coming year. If that's true then our year is going to be awesome.

When my friend Molly first told me about Zeke's Beans and Bowls, out by the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, I wasn't quite convinced. A coffee shop -- that also serves Hawaiian food? How do those two things even remotely go together? But after our visit last month, I was more than willing to admit I was wrong. It works. It just does.

We arrived on a snowy afternoon with three kids (one of them our very own Zeke) and a hankering for lunch, and ordered up smoothies and PB&Js and poke bowls, mounds of raw tuna served over rice and smothered in green onions and wasabi peas. You can see the photo, above -- it looked so pretty in person that when I saw the waiter coming toward our table with it, I actually said out loud, "Oooh, I hope that's mine!" Each bite was a burst of flavor and the latte that I ordered with it was strong enough to make me forget about a morning of toddler antics and fortify me for the afternoon ahead.

I haven't come across anything quite like it anywhere else in the area, which is saying a lot (if you follow our 12 in 12 project, you can see that we also ♥ eating out). But the food, despite how good it is, was only one of the great things about Zeke's. The other was the atmosphere -- laid back and quirky. The kids really enjoyed exploring Zeke's vintage decor -- looking at the painted signs, poking through the stacks of vintage record albums and playing with the "analog computer" (aka old-school typewriter).

Thank you everybody at Zeke's! And thank you, too, guy at the neighboring table, who didn't side eye us once despite our very enthusiastic (and vocal) kid contingent.

It's the third day of Christmas, or as it's know around our house, birthday season! Mine was yesterday, James's is tomorrow. And as you know, birthdays mean cake. So I thought this Friday Five should focus on our five favorite cupcake places around #HRVA. In no particular order, here we go!

1. Ethereal Cupcakes and Coffee Shoppe (Hampton): We stumbled across Ethereal Cupcakes during a marathon shopping session at Peninsula Town Center a year or so ago and it's been a go-to ever since. Visiting EC is a true culinary experience, complete with staff to guide you through all of their many cupcake choices (standard, gluten free, vegan, even spiked!) Their vegan orange coconut cupcake is one to try, even if you're an omnivore (their website lets you know the daily offerings before you go). Their lattes are also delicious.

2. Carolina Cupcakery (Norfolk/Chesapeake/Outer Banks): Carolina Cupcakery also offers a selection of vegan and gluten-free cupcakes (though it's best to call before you go if you're looking for one, since they don't offer a selection every day). They also feature other assorted baked goods besides cupcakes -- their (vegan) mini doughnuts are worth stopping in for just by themselves.

3. Naa's Bakery (Norfolk): Naa's is an old-fashioned bakery -- you won't find any diet-specialized offerings here. But you will find colorful, delicious cupcakes that are gorgeously iced and decorated (their Easter offerings this year were particularly adorable). A great place if you're looking to buy a lot as their prices are super-reasonable. The icing on the cake, so to speak? Their staff is as sweet and charming as their wares.

4. Twisted Sister Cupcakes and Sugar Shack Cafe (Virginia Beach/various locations): Twisted Sisters's Sugar Shack Cafe in VB is the perfect place to pop in for a sugar fix but they also can be found all over the Hampton Roads area in their food truck (the day's routes are posted on their site and they're very good about updating their location on Twitter). Their peanut butter blossom cupcake is our fave, the perfect marriage of salt and chocolate, yum. (The picture at the top of this post is their peanut butter and jelly option, also delish).

5. Jaime's Bakeshop (Virginia Beach): You've got to special-order your cupcakes from Jaime's but I promise it's worth it. They've been a staple at all of our family parties, including my graduations from college and law school and our wedding, to boot! Their amaretto cake is rich and moist but the icing (thick, sugary) is the real star. Jaime's is the place if you have a serious sweet tooth.

Where are your favorite places to find cupcakes in Hampton Roads? Please share in the comments, we're always looking for new places to try.

Happy weekend!

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day but I hate getting up early. Enter brunch! Going out for brunch is one of my favorite things to do on a cozy weekend morning -- I think I've eaten brunch in every city in Hampton Roads (except Suffolk! If you know a good place over there, please let me know. I'd love to try it out.)

The only requirements I have for a brunch place is a great Bloody Mary and a family-friendly atmosphere (since babysitters aren't usually available bright and early on weekend mornings). Here are my five favorite kid-friendly brunch places in #HRVA. What're yours?

1. Waterman's (Virginia Beach): We visited this beachfront restaurant last weekend after seeing Santa at the aquarium and it jumped to the top of the list based on the lovely view alone. Luckily, the menu is also good -- a lot of interesting specials, varied kid selections, and best of all, they bring a cinnamon roll basket to the table like other restaurants bring bread. They also proudly support the Sustainable Seafood program. What's not to like? Try: the Orange Crush.

2. No Frill Grill (Norfolk): My all-time favorite brunch place from way back, down in the heart of Ghent (there's also one at Hilltop). The name suits it -- the food isn't fancy or frilly but just plain well done. Can get a little packed on Sunday mornings but it's always worth the (minor) wait. Try: the Crab Benedict.

3. Conch and Bucket (Hampton): A sweet new(ish) place in adorable downtown Hampton. C&B has an emphasis on seafood with some creative combinations (salmon and orange risotto, seafood mac and cheese) but also does the traditional brunch classics well. My favorite part (besides the food) is probably the bricked-in, vine-covered patio out back; in the summer, it feels like you're eating in someone's backyard, not an urban city block. Try the Italian Bread French Toast (my friend swears by their creme brulee cheesecake if you're feeling dessert-ish).

4. Beach Pub (Virginia Beach): Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, this Laskin Road location has been around for over 35 years. It's not fancy but the food is amazing. Try: the Oysters Rockefeller and the blueberry muffins.

5. Charlie's Cafe (Norfolk): Charlie's is a Norfolk institution. Besides great service and a relaxed vibe, this (more than a) diner makes omelets that are feather-light and perfectly done. Charlie's just moved to its new location in Riverview on Granby Street and we can't wait to check it out (the top pic is Anouk at the old location over the summer). Try: the sake Bloody Mary and a bag of fresh Norfolk donuts.

Now I'm hungry. Happy weekend, all!

This month's 12 in 12 (on the 12th) project found us running all over, from sunup to sundown. Usually when we have a busy day like this I feel wrung out by the end of it, but this day, our travels all over town really came together to highlight to me how much our city has to offer. I feel like this post is a love letter to Norfolk just as much as it is a recording of our ordinary run-of-the-mill day.

Dear Norfolk -- we love living in you. And dear readers, don't forget to pop over and check out Darcy's and Rebecca's 12 in 12 projects at No Monsters in My Bed and Not-So-SAHM.


7:30 AM: Mornings make me feel like this too.



10:00 AM: Anouk and I venture down to Ghent for a couple of hours to run errands. We have a lot of presents to buy, as pretty much everyone we know had a baby or a birthday (or both!) in September. We bought one of the baby gifts, for my friend A.'s little girl, from Kitsch, which is such an awesome store full of handmade goodies. If you live in the area, you should definitely stop in.




11:30 AM: Coffee break at Fair Grounds. Anouk sings along to the Beatles Let it Be album and I read a poetry zine put out by high school students while I finish my drink. Why wasn't I this awesome in high school??



12:00 PM: High noon on Colley Ave.


12:30 PM: We stop by Lafayette Park on the way home to run off some steam before lunch. I just adore the gnarly old live oaks that grow there; they might be my all-time favorite trees.




2:00 PM: Naptime.



5:30 PM: Aunt Kristen is in town for the day on her way to a friend's wedding. Anouk is SO happy to see her and I think the feeling might be mutual.





6:00 PM: We walk down Granby Street to visit our favorite of the Norfolk mermaids (Miss Definitely Downtown) before Aunt Bonne's birthday dinner at Hokkaido. Happy birthday, Bon-Bon! P.S.: I swear sometimes we really do eat meals at home.



8:45 PM: A quick bath before bed.

How was your day?