Let There Be Light (and an emergency egress)

Progress!
Our Mason Chris and his trusty assistant Jamie have opened up the windows and are busy cutitng out the doorway. And no, not a flagman in sight! Here's hoping the rain holds off until we get the glass in...

Breakthroughs are Necessarily Messy...

(Julia's notes)
Yay! More real evidence of progress! It only seems symbolic if you haven't heard the screaming saws and huffed the billowing orange dust for two days (oh, and dodged the less than enthusiastic store neighbors). I could wax poetic about brick structures and the heartwarming permanency of old school east coast architecture but WE HAVE A PORTAL!

"Shhh!," says V. with a wink and a (Richmond) nod "([Lion*Witch*Wardrobe] + Fight Club=SECCO)."

So after 3 hours and $40 and 2 trips to city hall and immeasurable soul hemorrhaging I finally got our effing sidewalk scaffolding permit from the city replete with caveats, but don't take my word for it...see right. And yes, that says, "flagman."

I'll be racing back from Fathers Day in DC Sunday to finish up demolition on the old, bricked in windows so the mason can open them up early Monday morning. I love smashing lead-painted glass and rotted wood window frames...makes all those beers taste even more delicious!

Shout out to my brick mason, Chris McBrayer.: he is talented, efficient, professional, creative and tidy. Even if he is a bastard for making a veal fed almost 40 year old girl demo ancient windows ;) Dude--isn't that what 19 year old boys are for?! Oh well, at least I don't need a silkwood shower when I get off work.

Left is Chris finishing the connection between RCC & SWB Friday morning. We had fun during the weekly wine tasting taking customers and supporters through the PORTAL. Here's Sara, David & Peter peeking through...

(Sara's notes) In cheese news, I just got back from Caromont with a cooler full of all our favorites--Fresh Chevre, Old Green Mountain rounds, and pyramids of Alberene Ash (that I'll be having for dinner tonight with some fresh beets I got at the farmer's market). It was great, as it always is, to hang out with the goats and their keepers, to do some milking and some packaging, and to check in on my two favorite little ones, Violet and Sparrow, who are still as sweet as ever. Maybe one day I'll be able to bring them home with me (and you know I'll bring them to the store for show and tell), but until then, here are some pictures so you can see just how adorable they really are...

Hope to see you soon.

Don't Tell Mom!

Smashing Good Times!

I'm really pleased with our demo progress, and I'm slowly getting used to the dull ache and sharp pain in my right arm. Tim attacked the crazily over-built dressing rooms with a rather large electric saw, and David G filled two dumpsters' worth of debris. Now we're left with only a bit of drywall and baseboards to pry out. The subs have started coming in for estimates (hood, electric--still need plumbing and HVAC if anyone has a suggestion: info@rivercitycellars.com). The joys of dealing with various codes and an old, carved up building are book worthy. All it takes is more money ;)

In the wine geek celebrity watch department, Michael Broadbent and his lovely wife Daphne stopped by the shop yesterday for some cheese. Of course I was sweaty, pig-tailed and covered in a patina of drywall dust, but it was exciting to show him around the wine bar space. "Lovely aspect, and I used to be an architect you know." And somehow I managed to deflect Bartholomew's (their son, Richmond transplant and an old friend) comments about how his dad likes a dirty girl... Sigh. It was a treat meeting them. Hopefully next time they're in town I can serve them a glass of chilled Manzanilla! (In the photo, left to right: David G our beer buyer, Daphne, Michael, Peter our wine buyer and me.)

Gratuitous Violence

Another day of smashing, ripping and hammering (David, Tim & Dave) and scraping (me). May I take this time to reiterate how much I HATE WALLPAPER!! There is a special circle in hell for those who create 90 years' of layered paint, paper and glue. I can't lift my arms higher than my waist without wincing and my face feels windburned from all that 'exfoliation': thousands of tiny paint chips pinging my face for hours. Is it lead paint? Who cares--I can't possibly get any dumber considering I'm opening a restaurant ;)

As a side note, I do not recommend applying lipgloss immediately before sanding. Sigh. At least the beer flowed freely.

Today's plans include taking down the rest of the dressing rooms (now that we found the breaker box--in another shop--and can cut power to the lights. Oh wait, I didn't tell you? Two different shops share a circuit so we now have to get the service separated. Third trip expected for the electrician today. Also due for estimates from HVAC, plumber and draft lines. And then we have to figure out how to remove and save that giant mirror for behind the bar. Interestingly, it's bigger than any doors in the place. Ideas?

Then I'm off for a trip to the ABC and Health. Fun. My reward is checking out a rumor about dozens of really cheap Piretti chairs somewhere in a warehouse off Hermitage...wish me luck!

ps: anyone want to help? send me an email...info@rivercitycellars.com

One Girl, Two Beers & a Hammer

Very exciting times here at RCC. After two years of planning, one year (?!?) of paying rent on an empty space and five months of waiting for the City of Richmond to see things my way, we FINALLY got our construction permit Thursday for Secco Wine Bar. I celebrated by smashing walls yesterday. (Note to self: while stubbornness is indeed high octane fuel, there are consequences to hammering for 8 hours when one is almost 39 with the muscle-tone of milk-fed veal...ouch.) Here are some photos to show the um, progress.

Today we (hopefully I'll have some help from the boys) will tear down the free standing walls, dressing rooms and whatever those weird riser things are in the window. Oh, and I'll be taking a break to sip Prosecco with Enrico (Adami) & Katie (Michael Downey Selections). Let's see if Ican taste through a fine dusting of drywall debris...