We had an awesome, awesome day!!! Almost as fun as this day, same brew location! All that was missing was the funk music ; )
We drove out to Devil’s Backbone Brewery, apparently winner of the 2010 Champion Brewery and Brewmaster of a Small Pub!
I was invited as a member of the Cville press to attend the event, although all the brew+oyster purchases were our own.
The landscape in central Virginia is unbelievable
Gorgeous mountains in all directions and lots of people, food, beer and music
This was our second DBB event but we had yet to taste all of the beers, so we went inside first to give them whirl
I had the Maibock and Matt had the Rye Ale – both were excellent! Both half pints as well, we were saving up!
Back outside, the sun was out, the beer was flowing
And the lines were SUPER long!!
We waited about 20 minutes in line for this Star Hill Festie
And a DBB WINTERGREEN WEISS
The star of the event were the oysters, though, and we bought some tickets to get both beer + oysters. The Oyster Fest was a great initiative to support the Chesapeake Bay, which Nelson County waterstreams feed into. Read more about the awesome sustainable oyster and recycling here.
Matt and I also waited in a super long line to get some steamed oysters –
We found a CRAB in them!
And enjoy a few in cocktail sauce
After more music, we ended up going back inside for another sample of a different DBB beer. Turns out the beer was cheaper in the brewery than in the festival – more variety too! I tried the stout – another half pint.
Once back outside (hours are passing here!) we enjoyed more music and a local hot dog – with all the fixins – with our last ticket
Lines for the bathrooms!
We eventually made our way back home (a long drive) and over to Faith + Tate’s for a cookout!
Biker’s rights!
They were cooking up a storm of veggies and tofu
We brought a big bunch of local Virginia asparagus to donate to the potluck [plus bread + beer!]
Per usual, lots of wine was flowing, and we got to meet a lot of cool new guys in their neighborhood
For dinner I had veg, tofu and red wine
And for dessert, we celebrated Gavin’s birthday! {Tate’s brother!}
Small piece of chocolate flour cake for moi!
We biked home, huffing and puffing, and are ready for night #2 of a late bedtime! Last night I stayed up until midnight reading my awesome book, Resistance by Anita Shreve. She sure knows how to write a good book!
Jenny @ Fitness Health and Food says
oh my – your posts really have a way of making me miss the east coast and in particular Virginia. I went to school at JMU about an hour away from C’ville
There’s a lot of fun stuff here in Chicago but it just isn’t the same!
You look gorgeous in your pics by the way 🙂
Becky O'Brien says
Virginia IS beautiful! Except for a few random years in California and Ohio, I’ve lived here all of my life. I’m also a JMU grad! As is my son, nephew, niece and sister! Great school in a nice setting.
Matt says
You’re hot!
Christena says
awwwww…..how cute!
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
You got some color!!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
Looks like a perfect day! One of my favorite things about spring are all of the festivals. Atlanta’s first Food & Wine Festival is in a few weeks and I’m beside myself with excitement!
Stacie @ Imperfectly Healthy says
Looks like a fun time! And that’s crazy about the crab. I love your earrings, by the way! 🙂
Kat @ Cupcake Kat says
What a wonderful way to spend the Easter weekened! Looks like a ton of fun
Marina says
Looks like such a fun day!
Mary says
Wow, that first picture of you is really great! Like not only do you look gorgeous, Matt seems to be pretty talented with the camera as well!
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
Gorgeous (except for the crab! and bathroom lines 😛 )! It looks like you had an action packed and fun afternoon / evening.
Kate (What Kate is Cooking) says
Looks so fun! I love time in the sun 🙂
Steph says
That shirt is a great color on you! Oh and I wanted to say that I made kale chips tonight and gave my 11-month-old some. He LOVED them!!
KathEats says
Oh how wonderful!
Kaitlyn @ 7 Plates says
Looks like a fun today. Love the shirt you’re wearing! ha
Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife says
Your earrings are really cute! I would love a bite of oyster….. 😉
Jenn Radtke says
I LOVE YOUR SHIRT! This looks like such a wonderful day in the sun!
Christie says
Love love love wine (or beer) and food festivals! Looks like a perfect afternoon!
Allie says
In the first picture with your sunglasses up you look SO beautiful!
Khushboo says
Havent had a hot dog in years and that picture is making me regret not eating them more often!
Megan says
Looks like a great afternoon/weekend. Imbibed a bit too much after a friend brought over the 2nd batch of his home brew and had a piece of high five fiber from our local GH around the corner as a late night snack! Yum! Hopefully it will help to make tomorrow morning a bit easier. 😉
Molly says
What a nice variety of beer. I love getting small amounts so you’re able to try a lot AND being coherent!
Morgan @ moments of mmm says
Awww nothing beats a REAL hot dog once in a while 🙂
Looking gorgeous in the photos!
Night!
[email protected] says
awesome photos! And is it me or are you getting really tanned?! I like! I kind of need color on me haha
KathEats says
It was day 1 in the sun, so I think it must just be the shade/illusion!
Hannah says
Aw, so much happiness! Oysters and asparagus – I’ve never had those in the same day, but I think I should try it 😉
Jun says
May you share some useful tips for curbing binge-eating? Any healthy lunch box ideas? Is it since you started food blogging that you slowly became more skillful in capturing pictures?
KathEats says
If you are struggling with binge eating, I would recommend seeing a counselor.
For lunchboxes look at any lunch of mine between January and June 2010
And yes, photography has been self taught and tons of practice
Sarah (Running To Slow Things Down) says
I miss summer. Please send some sunshine our way. There is *snow* on the ground right now! 😀
I’ve never been brave enough to try an oyster, but maybe I’ll give it a go this year. 😉
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
What a great day to be outside! Sounds so fun! And that dinner looks fabulous too… love seeing the grill come out again. 🙂
Jess says
I just started following your blog. I am hooked. I am jealous of the warm weather you are having there in Virginia, it snowed here in Vermont yesterday. I also love your shirt- made locally here in Vermont 🙂
KathEats says
Welcome!
Tasha @ Voracious says
Ooooh what a fun day! And you’re right, the scenery is stunning. Love those oysters, now I’m craving some!
But the star of the show…that chocolate cake!!! YES PLEASE!
Lauren says
This sounds like a fantastic day! But I think seeing that crab would have freaked me out. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed a wonderful afternoon/evening.
Katie @ NaturaStride says
Looks like a fun day!! Those oysters look delicious (minus the crab inside!)
Maria says
That looks like such a fun filled day. Beautiful Kath, inside and out!
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says
Love days like this! outdoor festivals, time w/ friends, flourless chocolate cake…pretty much an awesome day 🙂
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
Looks like a great time! I love seafood, shellfish in particular, but have never had an oyster! Blasphemous, I know!
JenATX says
I love oysters! To be honest, I think I enjoy the activity of eating them more than the taste (which I do like though); just a fun tradition to sit down, watch them shucked, & pick out the toppings
Kierstan @ Life {and running} in Iowa says
I cannot wait for festivals like that to start popping up here! We have a lot of local wineries that have music every weekend.
Your shirt is awesome – I am sure you have mentioned where you got it previously….where did you pick it up at?
KathEats says
Eatmorekale.com ! I’m trying to get it into opensky 🙂
Angela (Oh She Glows) says
I have been meaning to buy that shirt since you first posted about it…I love it!!
Glad you had such a fun day. Happy Easter!
Hilary says
Wow….looks like a great day…gorgeous weather and good food, what more could you ask for? I’m jealous of your local asparagus…it’s not ready yet here!
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
Outdoor summer festivals are my favourite! We have a music festival in my city in June that I can’t wait for! 😀
Ally (Girl V Food) says
Man I am so jealous of your photo editing skills, these pictures look amazing! Of course, you would look gorgeous with no editing at all. But still!
Angel7 says
Fun times!!!
I have never tried oysters before, but I am spontaneous, and will give them a chance sometime.
Happy Easter!
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
KathEats says
THANKS Y’ALL!
Holly @ The Runny Egg says
I love the local hotdog — that thing looks incredible! I am super jealous of all the good beer you got to drink last night. Fun times!
Simply Life says
oh that does sound like a great day!
staceyhealthylife says
What a fun spring day. I love that bike planter. Where did Faith get that, it’s super cute. I need one!!!
Alex says
You look BEAUTIFUL in those head shots of you! Seriously, GLOWING!
Meg says
What a glorious day in VA! Oh how i love the spring in that wonderful state…
Chelsea says
Crabs are the part in a oyster if you ask me!! I love to find those little guys and eat ’em up. Sounds like a great night.
Suzanne says
I agree with everyone else, you’re gorgeous! What do you do for your skin? It looks flawless.
KathEats says
Thanks! It is definitely not flawless!! But Bare Minerals makeup is amazing!
Becky O'Brien says
Bare Minerals is a good choice. I use the Shaklee Enfuselle for the cleansing, moisturizing, repair. Love it!
Christena says
I was so hesitant to try oysters because I have texture issues with foods (pudding, yogurt, chopped fruit, anything “slimy”), but I tried them two summers ago and I LOVED them! One of my top 3 favorite foods. Now I’m craving them! Looks like you had a great day!!!
lynn @ the actor's diet says
i haven’t had oysters since a bad experience in 1998, involving having to get off the subway in Queens at 2 in the morning to get sick. but back then i used to drink cosmopolitans too…
Cait @ Beyond Bananas says
Love your earrings – glad you had a good time!!!
Namaste Gurl says
What a fun day you had! Looks like Tate and Faith are wonderful and reliable friends 🙂
Happy easter!
Ashley says
Such a fun night!!! Love all of the festival photos. We woke up to snow here yesterday morning, haha. We’ve been lucky with a lot of nice weather already, and we do need the moisture…so no complaints here!! Can’t wait for tshirt weather though!
veganlily says
I never post but read your blog every day (for a while now). I just have to say, that picture of you (without sunglasses) is absolutely gorgeous!
Miranda @ Working Mom Works Out says
Looks like a lot of fun! You guys are too cute.
Joy says
The first picture of you in this post is like crazy gorgeous, even more so than your usually already stunning self. You MUST use that in some sort of promotional shot 🙂
Looks like a wonderful day was had by all!
Susan Mc says
OK…seriously, I now want to chuck it all and move to Cville. Or at least I’m seriously tempted to look for a way to get my company to transfer me to the DC bureau… TOO MUCH AWESOME!
Love this post! Happy Easter!
Natalia - a side of simple says
I know you got your hair cut a while back but I just have to say that I love this length on you and the style!
Laura says
Those lines were ROUGH at the oyster festival! We tried the wine instead of the beer, but found it to be pretty frustrating overall. Sad because it is so gorgeous at DB.
KathEats says
Sorry we missed you!!! I wore my kale shirt but didn’t run into any blog friends
Laura says
That’s OK, I’m sure we will eventually intersect either at GH, City Market, or another wine related event!
LauraJayne says
Virginia is beautiful! Sounds like a wonderful day – and excellent weather!