Ed 118: Bouquet Bar, Pod-Style Concert, New Distillery
Image Source: @probablymaybe
Hey there, Alicia here!
In case you didn’t see our post on Instagram, we’ve got some exciting news to share:
With the arrival of baby Sloan, Sam and Sean have made the bittersweet decision to move back to New Jersey this fall to live closer to family.
But no need to panic! I (Alicia 👋) will still be at the helm here in Richmond full-time, keeping things running smoothly like they have been since I joined the team back in May as managing editor and media director.
Sam will continue leading The Richmond Experience full-time from her new home (just a few hours’ drive or train ride away), and with more child care help from her family, she’ll be able to dedicate even more time to continuing to grow RVAx in new and exciting ways!
Sam and Sean plan to travel back to Richmond every few weeks and will be hanging out and coworking at Common House Richmond with me when they’re back in town. (Side note: Common House opens this October; let us know if you’re interested in more info about this exciting social club opening soon!)
What does this mean for RVAx as a whole, or for you? Not much! We’ll continue keeping you up to date on all the cool things happening in Richmond through our Weekly Insider, city guides, event calendar, and social media pages like usual.
We know this news is bittersweet, and Sam and Sean are of course going to miss being in Richmond full-time! But we hope you are excited to get to know me (again, Alicia 👋) even better as our on-the-ground presence here in RVA.
If you have any specific questions or concerns about this transition, please don’t hesitate to reach out! We are so incredibly grateful that you’re a member of The Richmond Experience, and we want to assure you that the quality and quantity of content we produce will not change one bit.
Thank you so much for your support, and cheers to new chapters!
THE LATEST:
Image: @hilltopdistillery
Image: @shyndigzdessert
Image: @chumchum.onigiri
Image: Richmond Times-Dispatch
SOCIAL NEWS
There’s a new spot for hooch in the Gooch. Mike Platania at Richmond BizSense reports that Hill Top Distillery first briefly opened at 2750 Maidens Loop in Goochland back in March, but the pandemic forced owners Sherry and John Brockenbrough to close to the public. They just officially reopened last month with outdoor picnic tables on (appropriately) a hilltop overlooking the James River, making whiskey, vodka, and a corn-based whiskey “moonshine” out of a 2,000 sq. ft. tasting room and production facility. They regularly host food trucks and live music, and they stock breads, cheese, and other snacks from a bakery in Powhatan called Hobby Hill Farm Fresh.
Carytown now has a new self-proclaimed “little cute snack place.” Chum Chum Onigiri had its soft opening this past weekend and will be announcing its grand opening date soon. You can expect this adorable, pink spot to serve up Onigiri (a Japanese food made from white rice formed into a triangular shape and wrapped in nori, aka seaweed), Bingsu (a popular Korean shaved ice dessert often served with sweet toppings like fruits and syrups), Boba Milk Tea (sweetened tea with milk and tapioca balls), and more. Chum Chum Onigiri is located at 2820 W Cary St, across from Sen Organic Small Plate.
Shyndigz is switching up the meaning of BYOB. The latest addition to this Fan-favorite (get it? ‘cause it’s in the Fan?) dessert market is a Build Your Own Bouquet bar. You can start by selecting up to five premium stems (sunflower, zinnias, roses, bird of paradise or elephant ear), then fill out the bouquet with unlimited greenery (Lambs ear, fern stems, herbs, coleus and more) for only $10.99. So, the next time you’re celebrating a special occasion — or, uh, you just made it through another weekday in COVID times and want to treat yourself — you can swing by to pick up delicious desserts and fresh flowers all in one place!
Strawberry Street Café’s famous bathtub is finally coming back. The Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Karri Peifer reports that the former Strawberry Street Café space will soon be home to a restaurant specializing in tapas and beer with a focus on Latin American flavors, where nearly everything on the menu is expected to be $5. And that bathtub? It’s been in storage at a private residence in Henrico County since last year, but it will return to its rightful home at 421 Strawberry St — unclear how just yet (the owner said perhaps as a beer cooler), but definitely in some notable way to pay respect to the café that was there for 40 years.
Richmond is about to get some new street art — but literally ON the streets. As opposed to the many murals that line RVA’s city streets, there are two new projects in the works that will put paint on the pavement itself.
First, the City of Richmond and Venture Richmond were awarded a $25,000 grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative (we were one of only 16 cities awarded this grant, though hundreds applied), which will be used to create a pedestrian plaza, asphalt mural, and a parklet at the intersection of W Marshall St and Brook Rd (think Gallery 5) in the Arts District / Jackson Ward.
Then, Chris Suarez at the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that a nearly 200 ft. long Black Lives Matter mural may soon be painted on Grace St just outside of the Virginia State Capitol. According to local artists Hamilton Glass and Ed Trask, each yellow letter stroke on the mural would be 27 inches wide along the two-way street that leads to the 9th St entrance of Capitol Square.
Fans of the show “You” might be freaked out by this, but Richmond’s first “pod-style” concert is happening next month. Trevor Dickerson at RVAhub reports that Keller Williams will perform at an outdoor concert on the Bon Secours Training Center field on Friday, September 25 while fans watch and listen from socially distant, individual pods. There will be 9’ x 9’ pods that seat four as well as 14’ x 14’ pods that seat six, with 10’ walkways in front of and behind each pod and 6’ to the left and right of each pod. Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 21 at 10 am here.
Richmonders can now rent more and own less with The Shed. Instead of shelling out cash for pricey things you don’t plan to use all that often and maybe don’t have place to store, you can now visit The Shed online to rent them at a daily rate. Rent fun stuff like a popcorn machine for $5/day or an air hockey table for $25/day, or use it for chore-related items like an electric pressure washer for $22/day or a carpet cleaner for $30/day. You can even rent things like a YETI cooler for $16/day, a kayak with a paddle for $39/day, or a mountain bike for $15/day. They deliver the item straight to your door, then pick it up when you’re done. So simple!
Richmond residents can now pick up free face masks in 50 different locations around the city. You can view the interactive map here to find a location near you.
HAPPENINGS
Now seeking: women volunteers for Habitat For Humanity! In the beginning of March, Richmond Habitat kicked off their annual Women Build with a crew of 59 women who volunteered their time over two weeks to demo a home in the Chestnut Hills neighborhood in Richmond.
Their work was halted mid-March due to the coronavirus, and since that time they've been working hard to put health and safety protocols in place so that they can begin using volunteers again. Now, they have relaunched Women Build and are looking for ladies interested in participating!
They will be building every Friday and Saturday now through October. Interested? Learn more and register for Women Build here.
Weekly Giveaway
Fuzzy Cactus
If you’re not familiar, Fuzzy Cactus is a rock’n’roll bar and restaurant that opened in Northside late last summer — and their mixed drinks and fried chicken are already legendary.
And pssssstttt: RVAx members get 2 free prickly pear margarita popsicles with any order over $25 when they use code FUZZY221.
But back to the giveaway: Fuzzy Cactus is giving away a whole bird, listed on the menu as the BIG BIRD (aka 10 pieces of mouthwatering bone-in chicken) to one lucky winner!
To enter to win: Tell me what condiments you like with your fried chicken! Hot sauce? Honey mustard? Ranch?
Last week: Congratulations to Sarah G. for being our giveaway winner of the week! We hope you enjoy your “Richmond Is My Happy Place” tumbler from Grateful Heart Shop.
Member Perks
Erma Jean
Erma Jean is a local, sister-owned women's clothing studio that composes modern styles with timeless silhouettes.
Founders (and sisters!) Katelyn and Lauren operate like a classic dress-shop, helping women build sophisticated and versatile wardrobes. The two are committed to bringing women well-designed, quality styles that are sensibly priced and can withstand a busy lifestyle!
Members of The Richmond Experience can use code RVAX20 for 20% off their entire order!
new + trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey new members!
We'd like to welcome 30 new members this week: Brandon C., Sydney E., Kaylee R., Laura L., Lauren M., Sarah Y., T B. Leah B., Marcus O., Chris M., Ardyn G., Mary-Margaret B., Brooks D., Taylor D., IV M., Stephanie F., Riley T., Alexandra G., Annie M., Rebecca Z., Katelynn P., Sara B., Maddie K., Shana S., Kelly P., Claire O., Gavin M., Hannah N., Ali C., and Kelly D., we're so glad you're here!
It takes a village so let us know if you have any questions, thoughts, feedback, tips, or recs! Thanks for reading edition 118 of the Weekly Insider.
Stay well friends,
Alicia @ The Richmond Experience
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