Ed 122: Apple Picking, Oktoberfest, Frozen Burritos
Image Source: @verdantrichmond
Hey there, Alicia here!
We’re all about staying positive, but even we have to admit that we’re a little bummed that Richmond won’t be able to celebrate the arrival of fall with our usual selection of festivals and other in-person events that the city is known for.
That being said, there are still plenty of ways we can get into the seasonal spirit as the first day of autumn creeps closer!
In this edition of the Weekly Insider, we’ve outlined the German-inspired options you have if you’d still like to enjoy Oktoberfest this month, the ways that popular festivals are pivoting so that attendees can still have a blast virtually, upcoming races and other athletic events in the pipeline this fall, and more.
Ready to trade in sweaty season for sweater season? Let’s go!
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SOCIAL NEWS
An apple (cider donut) a day keeps the doctor away. Or at least, that’s what we like to think, which is why we’re so excited that Carter Mountain Orchard is still open for apple picking adventures this fall. To moderate crowd size, they are limiting access to the orchard grounds with a new ticket reservation system, which gets guests access to apple picking, the Country Store, the bakery, the Bold Rock Hard Cider tap room, and more. And did you know that they offer apple cider ice cream cones and even cider slushies? Talk about fall vibes that are perfect for Richmond’s seasonal transition, when it’s cool in the morning and scalding by afternoon!
Did you know September is Virginia Spirits Month? This is the commonwealth’s fifth annual celebration, and this year’s theme is “It’s 5’o’clock for 30 Days.” All month long, the Virginia Distillers Association will be sharing daily videos on social media featuring resident “Virginia Spirits Enthusiast,” Matt Jones, as he reviews products and prepares cocktails with fun insights and observations about the uniqueness these Virginia spirits. And 2020 is a particularly exciting year for Virginia Spirits Month, since it’s the historic 400th anniversary of Virginia as the Birthplace of American Spirits — the first-ever batch of American corn whiskey was distilled in 1620 by English colonist George Thorpe at Berkeley Plantation. The more you know!
More booze news: A local brewery will soon open a new, upscale location in Midlothian. The folks at Triple Crossing Beer announced that they are working with a local architecture firm and development company on a building that features a clean design of stone, glass, and wood overlooking an expansive outdoor patio complete with awnings, fire-pits, and walking paths. This location will also feature an elevated dining experience, designed by Triple Crossing’s in-house executive chef, as well as on-site draft beer and canned beer offerings similar to the other two Triple Crossing tap rooms. They hope to open late 2021/early 2022, with more details to come.
Don’t look back, look forward… to the new retail concept on the horizon from Don’t Look Back in Forest Hill. According to Jack Jacobs at Richmond BizSense, this local taco chain just purchased a former daycare property located next door to its Southside taco shop. The plan is to use the space for a retail concept, and potentially for additional outdoor seating and parking for the restaurant next door.
Mi casa, Sous Casa. This story, again reported by Jack Jacobs at Richmond BizSense, is almost unreal. So, it turns out that the band Phish had a chef named Jim Hamilton touring with them — but when the pandemic hit, his employment with the band ended. So, he came back to Richmond (where he kicked off his career working at spots like Kuba Kuba, Proper Pie Co., and Millie’s) and launched Sous Casa, a frozen burrito delivery service. Hamilton cooks burritos, enchiladas, and burrito bowls at Hatch Kitchen, a food and beverage company incubator in Southside, then completes twice-a-week delivery runs using a truck outfitted with freezers. Items run $3 - $4, and each order requires a minimum of 4 items. Get ready to stock your freezer with some locally made Tex-Mex!
This sounds fun as folk. The Richmond Folk Festival is pivoting to a virtual event this year, celebrating its 16th anniversary the weekend of October 9 - 11 by bringing the community together through special TV programming, radio broadcasts, and online streaming. The first six musical artists for the three-day event have already been announced, and they range from fiddling and western swing to funk and R&B. You can also participate in an interactive scavenger hunt on downtown Richmond’s river front, take part in a community art installation on Brown’s Island, and more.
Race on your own, for a good cause. The 2nd Annual RVA Cares 5K is now a virtual event as well, meaning that you can walk or run your favorite 3-mile route in the city to support children battling rare medical illnesses in RVA, whose needs are compounded by the pandemic.
HAPPENINGS
Oktoberfest may look a little different this year, but it’s still happening! If you’re looking to celebrate, you can swing by three different spots:
Bingo Beer Co - Saturday, September 19, 1 - 5 pm - The kickoff keg tapping will happen at 12:45 pm, which will be followed by a corn hole tournament, bucket pong, flip cup, and a stein-holding contest. There will also be Oktoberfest food specials, and of course, Bingo’s famous Oktober Fest beer available for consumption.
Center of the Universe Brewing - Spanning 3 weekends (September 18-20, September 25-27, and October 2-4) - If you’re looking for traditional German-inspired food, liters of beer, oompa music, and festive Bavarian decor, this is the spot for you. COTU is expanding their outdoor seating into the parking lot and adding a beer truck to make sure things are as safe as possible!
Väsen Brewing Company - Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in September - Väsen kicked off the season with the release of their classic Märzen festbier, made with Munich malts and Bavarian lager yeast. They’re running drink specials all month Tuesday - Thursday from 2 - 7 pm. And last but not least, if you snag one of their festive horn glasses for $20, they’ll fill it with one of their Oktoberfest beers. Zum Wohl!
Weekly Giveaway
Give Me Liberty And Give Me A Drink!
This highly-anticipated, just-released book (now available at Fountain Bookstore for $16.95) was penned by local author Jarrett Dieterle, a Richmond resident, University of Richmond graduate, and the nation’s leading alcohol policy expert.
The book itself combines the thirst-inducing pleasure of trivia with 65 recipes for classic and innovative cocktails inspired by America’s most outlandish alcohol laws.
We’re giving away a $50 gift card to Reservoir Distillery and one copy of “Give Me Liberty And Give Me A Drink” to one lucky winner to celebrate this local book launch!
To enter to win: Tell me the last book you read! I just finished “Thick,” a collection of essays by another local author (Tressie McMillan Cottom), and it was fantastic.
Last week: Congratulations to Bettina R. for winning a new Burn Down For What? candle in the Welcome Mat scent. Mmm.
Member Perks
Purify RVA
As Tom Haverford would say, “Treat yo’self!” Detox, relax, and restore in a fully private suite at Purify Infrared Sauna, with locations in Short Pump and on Patterson Ave.
While a traditional sauna just heats the external air around you, an infrared sauna penetrates your body to raise your internal body temperature. This treatment is associated with pain relief, stress relief, quicker recovery, weight loss, detoxification, skin purification, improved sleep, and more.
Don’t forget to use your member perk when booking — RVAx members can use code PURIFYRVAX to get 15% off all services (including memberships and packages)!
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Hey new members!
We'd like to welcome 36 new members this week: Cecile R., Olivia Y., Bonnie D., Rebecca E., Emily M., Tom S., Leigha C., Shelby G., Mallory H., Jessica A., Rebekah C., Trisha B., Kelsey M., Colleen G., Sara M., Caroline S., Shanthi R., Zachary R., Matt J., Lindsey M., Laura D., Thomas C., Cindy C., Gregory G., Jacqueline S., Heather S., Courtney M., Molly O., Emma J., Pryor G., Nicole S., Erin R., Utibe B., Sydney L., Aarudhra P., and Sybil H., 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 122 of the Weekly Insider.
Stay well friends,
Alicia @ The Richmond Experience
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