Weekenders: Robin Verrier

Welcome to Weekenders, which aims to answer the question:
If you had one perfect weekend to spend in Cville, what would you do?


Table setting & design by Verry Robin & Co. 

Table setting & design by Verry Robin & Co. 

If you’re not following Robin Verrier of Charlottesville-based Verry Robin & Co. on Instagram, you’re doing it wrong. From photos of local hotspots to meticulously styled perspective shots, this gal has an eye for everything and anything creative and beautiful. Her aesthetic choices and standards serve as a daily inspiration for the P+K crew as we point our camera at and try—many times in vain—to do justice to all the incredible dishes and drinks floating around this town.

After years of experience in fashion merchandising, photography, prop styling, and digital strategy, Robin (a Cville native and VCU graduate) in the summer of 2016 launched Verry Robin & Co., a creative consulting and styling company. She now works with artist and businesses nationwide by “weaving elegant stories from everyday inspirations.” When she’s not behind the camera, she and her husband, Jack, and their black labrador, Molly, can be found frolicking all around town—their favorites, in her own words, below:

Friday

At 7:30 p.m., I’m starting my weekend with an early dinner and drinks at Mas. Seriously, these are the BEST tapas in Cville, hands DOWN! I suggest the basil gimlet and Gambas al' parilla—aka Jumbo grilled shrimp with garlic aioli! Pro Tip: order a killer side of their bread at the beginning of the meal to help soak up all of the delicious sauces leftover from your dishes. It also keeps well for a snack the next day...just saying.

Saturday

Robin Verrier of Verry Robin & Co. 

Robin Verrier of Verry Robin & Co. 

Saturdays start fairly early in the Verrier household. My husband, Jack, and I like to get up around 8 a.m. and hit the Charlottesville City Market to grab all of our local seasonal veggies. It's also so cool to be able to chat with these local vendors/farmers and get to know them and how they farm/work. Sometimes they may also sneak in an extra cheese sample if you’re extra nice! While we're there, we grab some delicious streetside tacos from one of the vendors for breakfast.

Afterwards, we head to a townie hidden gem—Integral Yoga. Here you can find the best organic and sustainably grown products as well as other favorite local brands. I come here almost every Saturday and grab my favorite cold pressed juice, “The Detoxifier.” Ingredients include Apple, Kale, Celery, Parsley, Spinach. Taco from earlier? Immediately nullified.

The juice sparks a need for a workout. I head to ACAC and do a vigorous yoga sweat sesh with the incredible Lindsay, and then it’s definitely time for a late lunch. I head to a local hot-spot Roots (created by McIntire School of Commerce grads!) for an incredible salad full of all the good stuff! I usually go for the Pesto Cesar with BBQ Tofu—yum. After relaxing at home and showering from yoga, I head to my favorite nursery, which I frequent every weekend—Ivy Nursery. New plant and pot purchases in tow, I drive to the Valley and hit up some of the BEST antiquing in Virginia.

It’s dinnertime and we’re at our other favorite spot, Maya. This southern food with a twist is out-of-this-world good. Pro Trip #2: Always get a side of the mac and cheese. It will never disappoint! Finally, don’t think we’ve forgotten about dessert and drinks—we end our night at Alley Light, a literal hidden gem with a little of the best of everything. The Clover Club cocktail is our cocktail go-to, and we don’t leave without ordering the Mr. Rech, a giant macaroon filled with chocolate/hazelnut sauce. Yup, you read that right.

Sunday

Let the lazy begin! We like to roll out of bed around 11 am and head to our favorite Brazos Tacos! Pro Trip #3: If you get there before 11:30/12, you’ll miss the church crowd. We are pescatarians, so our tacos of choice are:

  • The Flora: Sautéed spinach, scrambled eggs, refried black beans, queso fresco, and roasted tomato salsa roja.

  • This is my Yam: Crisped sweet potatoes, refried black beans, sliced avocado, queso fresco and roasted pepitas

  • Triple Pickle: Refried black beans, mushroom bruja, roasted pepitas and chopped jalapeños with red onion pickles, jalapeño pickles and pickled watermelon with a lime wedge

  • The Fish Aficionado: Blackened tilapia, red cabbage slaw, red onion, avoverde, cilantro + Lime

At noon, it’s definitely time for coffee. We mosy over to Grit Coffee. I always order the pour over, and it's some of the best coffee I've ever had!

After a weekend out, it’s high time for an early dinner at home. I love to go to local grocery store Foods Of All Nations and grab lots of amazing local grub to eat at home in my PJs!