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Birthday-In-Law

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Happy 59th to Karen, a wonderful mother-in-law and friend!!

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Tonight we went to Hamilton’s for the first time. We’ve been passing by it on the downtown mall for a year and had yet to stop in.

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We prayed for a good meal : ) Not because we expected bad, but because, you know, the praying mantis fit the blog post theme!

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Luckily, the meal was quite good. And I loved seeing all the local meats on the menu. So glad Cville has great local farms nearby!

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We started the meal with a martini for Karen [Grey Goose, dry, straight up, always] for Karen and the Trentadue Old Patch Red for Matt and me – a honeymoon favorite from Sonoma that we were excited to see on the menu!! I had probably 2 big glasses – maybe 2.5 – throughout dinner. It was delicious!

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Matt started with local pork shortribs – had a bite. Excellent!

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We had some simple bread to start as well as side salads included in the meal –

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For dinner I had the Snapper with Ratatouille and Kale. It was very good – two thumbs up

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Karen and Matt were way too stuffed for dessert. I would have liked the quadruple chocolate platter!! But I was outvoted.

Luckily Karen brought me some of her famous Boar’s Head Inn Bread Pudding she had for her Rotary lunch today and I had a tiny bit of that when I got home. Craving filled!

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Comments

  1. Hamilton’s has been a family favorite of mine for years! Consistently good, fresh food, and great outdoor seating 🙂

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  8. Is it common for restaurants to have local meats, products? I don’t think it is around here.

    Your hair is so pretty down! It makes you look younger. Not that you look old! Y’know – less serious or something 🙂

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    • Agreed- that second picture of you is the cutest ever! I love photos that seem to capture a part of someone’s personality 🙂

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  11. You look so beautiful in that second picture!!

    Matt’s dish looks absolutely incredible – and I would’ve been all about ordering that chocolate platter with you if I were there 🙂

    Glad you guys took Karen out for such a nice celebration – Happy, happy birthday to her and many, many more!!

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  14. Happy birthday, lovely Karen!

    And EEEEEEK … that is my absolute favorite wine. It’s very hard to find around here. Gotta build up my stash. 😉

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    • Thanks for the birthday wishes! I’m not doing the books but have been given other duties! I think I’m helping a lot! Best to you! Karen

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  22. Happy KERF-day to you and Happy Birthday to Karen!! Your dinner looks so great and your descriptions of C-ville (and the warmer southern temps) always make me want to abandon the north and fly south…for the winter at least 🙂

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  23. Happy Birthday!!!! Oh, Karen is Matt’s mother?!!! Am I right?? I always like when youninclude her in ur posts, she seems to be very nice and kind!

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  36. Oh Kath… I’m obsessed with your blog! So inspiring, uplifting, and fun to follow! And the pictures are absolutely scrumptious! Happy 4th Birthday to KERF!!!

    Also, I’m in love with that little orange spoon in the last photo. I’ve seen them in other food pictures, but I can’t figure out where I could get one, too!

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  37. We looked at Hamilton’s for our rehearsal dinner. The in-laws weren’t in love with the price (and I wasn’t in love with the potential room), so we went elsewhere… But, love their food.

    Although the wine is tempting, I’d have to join Karen with the Gray Goose martini (mine are always extra dry, 3 olives). Mmmm, martinis… Cheers, Karen!

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  41. I believe you have mentioned Karen’ battle here and there with cancer and her treatments. I love see ing people who don’t let cancer run their life, she is living it and I admire her. Happy Birthday Karen!! I am also a cancer fighter and it has definitely given me positive attitude with life.

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      • I like the photo of Karen with Matt. She looks so vibrant! We have a good friend that goes in this December for his final test post treatment. If everything goes well he will be deemed cancer free 5 years after treatment conluded!

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  43. Happy Birthday Karen! You all have so much to celebrate!

    Your hair looks really cute in these pictures! I can’t wait to eventually explore Charlottesville as every picture looks amazing and so fun and funky. I love the restaurant’s blue glasses!

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  55. Happy birthday to your mother in-law! We went down to Charleston, SC this summer to celebrate my future mother in-law’s birthday… It was a beautiful vacation and great time spent with family. There’s always something special about a family members birthday 😀

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  60. Why did I not realize all this time that Karen was your mother-in-law?? Happy birthday, Karen. The food looked scrumptious!

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