familiarizin'

Let's see, I've lived in Charlottesville for...three and a half months. (Plus there were five and a half months of working in Charlottesville but living in Richmond.) I still don't feel quite "at home" in this city, but I'm working on it. Last week I discovered a coffee shop that has plenty of tables, decent food, a parking lot, and stays open past 7pm. The place is also nice enough to give you a sandwich and a latte on the honor system if you don't have cash with you. (Who doesn't take cards these days? Sheesh.) The coffee shop is next to a big vintage/thrift store, so that is good to know about. And Sunday I finally found the recycling center, another important C'ville spot. (Just because I didn't visit until Sunday doesn't mean I wasn't saving up recycling all that time. I had about a million milk jugs piling up in my kitchen.) Last weekend Josh and I also visited the South Street Brewery for the first time, which had terrible service but a fun atmosphere and good beer. Taking that class at UVA has helped get me plugged in a little, though I'm quiet and at least a decade younger then everyone else in the class. And last night after work some co-workers and I went out for drinks and dinner on the Corner (the area by the university with lots of restaurants), so that was a good time hanging out with people outside of work and learning about a new restaurant.

So I'm still getting to know Charlottesville, and hopefully some day I'll feel like I really belong here.