So it’s Family Weekend. One of the busiest weekends at the University — when the Corner shifts from everyday subpar transportation conditions to actual gridlock, phone service is almost nonexistent and every restaurant and hotel is booked completely solid.
Of course, there are great things about Family Weekend as well. The families, for example. Personally, I had a great weekend because my parents visited and so did a few of my friends’ parents. We spent a nice two days stuffing ourselves with food, watching lots of football and enjoying each other’s company, among other things. Here’s a breakdown.
Saturday, aka “Football and Food”
Honestly, football and food says it all. My parents had planned to have a tailgate outside the stadium, but of course, it was rainy and cold. So we moved it into our apartment, which actually worked out well. It felt so homey to have my friends and their parents all sitting around the TV, eating Ivy Provisions sandwiches, chips and cookies, watching the many exciting college football games all day.
Our only break from sitting in our apartment was when my parents and I went to Scott Stadium for the game. Of course, it was raining. I couldn’t tell you why, but I unfortunately still don’t own a rain jacket at this point in my life. Naturally, I bought one of those $3 ponchos that they sell at the stadium — the ones that just barely hold out for a few hours of sitting in the rain.
It was great. Honestly. We sat and watched as the Cavaliers played an exciting game, all the while getting soaked by the rain, even through the ponchos. The players were dancing on the sidelines, the fans were cheering and the rain made it all seem even more hype.
We left only when our clothes were too wet to stay, although I would have stayed even longer considering how exciting the second half ended up being. But anyways, we came back to the apartment and continued snacking and watching of the game, this time warm and dry.
We then, of course, had a bougie dinner out with all of our parents, and it was, of course, incredible. What are parents for, right? Mom and Dad — if you’re reading this, that was a joke.
Sunday, aka “Go Check Our Spot on the List”
Brunch. Enough said.
I wanted to take my parents to what I consider one of the best brunches in Charlottesville — Bluegrass Grill & Bakery — and it was undeniably the most crowded I’ve ever seen it. My parents were troopers, though, and waited the lengthy 90-minute wait to be seated, at which time we rewarded ourselves by feasting.
Anyone who knows me knows I love food — I planned my parents’ visit around our meals. Clearly, anyone willing to wait an hour and a half for a meal isn’t someone who takes food, and particularly brunch, lightly.
However, I’m not really a patient person. Thus, while we waited, we walked over to the Downtown Mall and went up and down to both ends. Along the way, we admired the restaurants full of eager brunchgoers and conversed about some of the seemingly very random retail stores that have been on the Downtown Mall for years.
That only took up about 30 minutes of our wait, though. We then waited the rest of the time in front of Bluegrass, excitedly listening to the host whenever he would come outside and call names from the waiting list. I went inside to check our spot on said list approximately 10 times. Every time I walked inside I creepily stared at people’s meals and would change my mind about what I was going to order.
By the time our names were called, my dad had taken to watching a squirrel dig for a nut because he said he had already looked at every other thing he possibly could. Keep in mind this is next to the Downtown Mall — there’s plenty of activity. My mom was swaying in place because she said she had to keep moving, otherwise her blood sugar would get too low. Again, keep in mind, she doesn’t have blood sugar issues.
But anyways, after we were all extremely bored, and ready to eat anything at that point, our name was finally called and we had ourselves an incredible brunch. All’s well that ends well, I always say.
The point, however, of Family Weekend is neither the food nor the football, but the company. And I must say, throughout it all, I had an incredible time because I got to enjoy Charlottesville even more because I had my parents with me. Being able to share with them so many things I love about Charlottesville — food, friends, football, whatever it may be — was the greatest part about the weekend.
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