Back in the habit

When we moved to Roanoke Rapids one year ago this week, I meant to begin blogging again. I wanted to capture in words our transition to small-town life. As with most of my blogging plans, this one also fell by the wayside as life picked up speed. But one year later, there is hope! I am enjoying my four days off after spending two full weeks with 800+ college students at Rockbridge and you can only read but so many books in one week. Dad, I’m looking at you on that one. And yes, I’m kidding.

With this my inaugural small-town post, I’d like to introduce you to our first love in Roanoke Rapids, our go-to after bad days, our beloved San Jose. Had you told me we would find this quality of deliciousness when we moved away from Durham, a true foodie city, my fear would have been significantly less. If you have visited us, this is where we took you. San Jose is where we run into friends from all walks of our lives. And San Jose is where they know as soon as I walk in the door that I’ll have the vegetarian quesadilla, hold the spinach, beans instead of rice.

Local competition exists. My beautiful but less-particular wife prefers El Tenapa. She is a taco salad fan (sub grilled mushrooms for meat) and so doesn’t quite appreciate the beauty of veggies they pack into my dish enough. She is also admittedly not the connoisseur of white sauce that I am which is the second place San Jose dominates. El Tenapa is thankfully within walking distance of our house and so Dawn wins on beautiful nights and during snow storms (see below) when walking is preferred.