Earlier this year, my friend and her partner helped open a new coffee shop in downtown Scottsville. When she texted me Saturday to invite me to see musician Martha Bassett (and awesome upright bass player, Pat) at the shop, I jumped at the chance to finally visit Baine’s.

The shop is beautiful, with a freshly installed wooden counter top and custom bookshelves full of a broad assortment of texts on Virginia living, religion, and childhood. Scout made me an iced chai latte with almond milk (both the chai concentrate and the milk are made from scratch at Baine’s). It had a complex flavor – spicy, cold, and smooth – and was perfect as a subtle dessert drink with a chocolate chip cookie.

After we finished our drinks, my friend took us on a brief walking tour of Scottsville right as golden hour settled over the landscape. We headed down to the James River, then walked the levy path back to the downtown area.

After the show was over, we all walked over to the James River Brewery tasting room for local craft beer with the band.