Doumar's Cones and Barbecue

I have to tell you, I was shocked (SHOCKED!) when I found out that our friends, Miss Molly, Z. and A., had been living in Norfolk for almost half a year and had not yet been to Doumar's, that old Norfolk institution, where the ice cream cone was invented, and where you can still pull up under the awning in your car and get curbside service. I felt like we needed to rectify this dismal situation right away, and so  last week, we met our friends for lunch down at 20th and Monticello. 

And oh, what a lunch it was. I think between all of us we sampled everything that makes Doumar's great: the burgers, hot dogs, housemade limeade and rootbeer, and those famous cones. Anouk fed a couple spoonfuls of ketchup to her baby doll, and seemed pretty intent on getting some of her French fries into little Ada's mouth (and all of Ada's hamburger bun into hers), but let me tell you, not a one of the kids seemed very concerned with the idea of sharing their ice cream. You'd have to pry it out of their little frostbitten hands, I think. 

After our table was cleared, there was a pretty intense booth jumping contest (to help settle all that food?). Luckily, our fellow patrons were forgiving. 

"Big Al" Doumar was at the restaurant the day we went, and we posed for pictures with him to commemorate the occasion of our friends' first visit. We also plopped the kids on stools and snapped a photo of them sitting on the counter. A million different Doumar's memories swamped over me -- waiting for curbside service with my Mammaw, skipping class with friends in favor of a hot fudge sundae, late night limeades after prom. It struck me that before too long, our kids will be grown up and doing these things. And I know Doumar's will still be there, when they are. 

Not the best photo, but they're all looking in the same direction, so I'm declaring this battle won.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! This year, I am grateful for new friends, old friends, a husband with the scratchiest beard known to man and a little girl who can't stop saying "Thank you" all day long. And you -- if you are reading this, I am grateful for you, too.

Here's to a wonderful holiday. Meet you back here next week!