Ed 128: Smoke Lounge, Zipline And Wine
Image Source: @sarah.wetzel202
Hey there! Alicia here 👋
I’m kind of sad that this time next week, Halloween will have already come and gone. I’m going to miss all the spookily-decorated stoops and candy-inspired treats around town.
That said, I’m definitely excited for Thanksgiving — and don’t worry, we’ll be publishing a City Guide next week outlining all the local restaurants that will be open on Turkey Day as well as those that will be offering take-out menus so you don’t have to worry about cooking the whole meal (or any of it!) yourself.
Before you know it, we’ll be sharing City Guides about holiday happenings, winter-inspired food and drink options, local gift guides, and more. Time flies, doesn’t it?
For the time being, let’s revel in what’s left of #SpookySzn with this calendar of 2020 Halloween Events You Don’t Want To Miss In RVA. Happy haunting!
Now, on to what’s new and exciting in Richmond this week…
THE LATEST:
Image: @billypie_rva
Image: @rassawek
Image: @thebeetboxrva
SOCIAL NEWS
Things are getting lit in Scott’s Addition. Literally. Jack Jacobs at Richmond BizSense reported that RVA Tobacco Lounge opened earlier this month at 2906 W Clay St, tucked behind Vogue Flowers and across the street from Longoven. The idea for this self-proclaimed “modern take on the traditional cigar lounge” came to light after Carytown’s Old Virginia Tobacco Co. shuttered and Richmond cigar aficionados no longer had a place to call home. RVA Tobacco Lounge will offer retail sales (you can pop in, buy your cigars, and leave), but patrons are also invited to stick around to enjoy their stogies. The lounge also serves tapas and local beers, in case there are any non-smokers in your party. And fear not: Jacobs reported that a substantial investment has been made into the lounge’s patio space as well as its special indoor ventilation system to keep things on the up-and-up from a respiratory perspective, in the times of COVID-19.
What’s new in Carytown? Beets me! A bright, colorful, and energizing spot called The Beet Box just opened at 2611 W Cary St serving up a variety of fresh juices, smoothies, and cell-energizing food choices. As owners Roc Meredith and Ashley Lewis put it on their website, “The Beet Box RVA is where urban culture intersects with healthy living.” Whether you choose to order online for pick-up or to stick around and dine in, you’ll be greeted by vibrant murals, exposed brick, plant-dripped walls and tables, and a neon peace sign, along with welcoming smiles from the staff. I’ve got my eye on the West Coast Toast (locally baked french bread, avocado, sliced cucumber, sprouts, pickled red onion, salt and pepper) and The Beet Goes On (beet root, spinach, strawberry, pineapple, apple, and ginger) myself.
Who wants to go bowl-ing? (I’m sorry, I don’t know why they let me write these things). Anyway, a non-pun writer named Karri Peifer at the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Perch chef Mike Ledesma will soon open a new restaurant concept called InstaBowl in The Fan. Designed with people’s pandemic pick-up habits in mind, this fast-casual spot will specialize in made-to-order bowls (an entree with a grain, protein, and vegetables), including adobo and poke.
Ledesma told Peifer, “Everything we make at InstaBowl is purposely designed to taste best when you get home, to work, wherever. Between thoughtful preparation and eco-friendly packaging, our InstaBowls are built to travel.” Patrons can expect both a pickup window and delivery service from InstaBowl — as well as wine and beer to go.
And in not-so-basic pizza news… Billy Pie pizza will soon be available at a new satellite location inside of Basic City Beer Co. in Manchester at 212 W 6th St! You probably remember that Billy Pie got its start at Triple Crossing Fulton before moving to its own space in the near West End at 6619 Patterson Ave. In mid-September, Billy Pie began operating a new pizzeria out of the original Basic City Beer Co. space in Waynesboro, VA. After seeing what a great job their pizza did in Waynesboro, the brewery’s owner Bart Lanman invited Billy Pie to open a new location in its Richmond location, as well.
According to Mike Platania at Richmond BizSense, this new location in Southside should be open in the next few weeks — and Billy Pie is apparently in conversation with two more Virginia breweries, as well.
My crystal ball shows a trip to Goochland in my future. Our pal Jack Jacobs at Richmond BizSense reported that 1,000-acre Goochland events venue Rassawek Vineyard is working on a major expansion that will include a zipline course, short-term rentals, and camping facilities — as well as an airstrip (to be used for airshows and to land aircraft featured in displays). The vineyard also plans to open a store where they’ll sell food, drink, and retail items, which would be open during events as well as certain days of the week. Public access to these new facilities is expected to open up in the first half of 2021, so it might be a good time to start thinking about how you’ll be using your vacation days next year!
HAPPENINGS
Don’t miss your chance to win big this Thursday, when 50+ local businesses will be giving out 180+ gift cards and prizes valued at $7, 000+ at a very special edition of virtual Thursday night trivia!
The Halloween Spooktacular Extravaganza, hosted by the hilarious folks at Why Richmond Is Awesome, is entirely virtual and totally free to play. All you have to do is head to their YouTube channel anytime after 7 pm on the night of Oct. 29, get the room code, sign in, and enjoy.
Not great at trivia? Don’t worry — most of the $7,000 in prizes will be given out at random throughout the night just for playing along! In fact, 1 in 4 players are expected to leave the evening with a prize.
And perhaps most excitingly: We’ve been promised a HUGE surprise at some point throughout the evening, at what many people are calling the virtual event of the year!
Text “Boo” to 804-223-2032 if you want to be sent a text reminder on Thursday afternoon. The event will be capped after the first 500 people enter to play, so don’t miss your chance to join in on the fun!
Weekly Giveaway
Zorch Pizza
In case you're not familiar, Zorch Pizza is Richmond's only NY-style, by-the-slice pizza truck.
Helmed by Richmond pizza connoisseur Rob Zorch, this one-of-a-kind food truck can be found on the weekends serving up classic slices and inventive new recipes at breweries, festivals, and private events around Central VA.
But they also open up for weekend pick-up orders every Tuesday at 7 pm, so you can schedule a 5-minute ‘appointment’ to pick up the pizza of your choice.
We know y’all love pizza as much as we do — so, we’re giving away two full pizza pies along with a cozy Zorch Pizza beanie to one lucky RVAx member this week!
To enter to win: Tell me your favorite pizza topping! Is it weird that mine is spinach?
Last week: Congratulations to Devon O. for winning last week’s Väsen Brewing Company giveaway!
Image Credit: Emmi Claire Photography
Member Perks
Emmi Claire Photography
‘Tis the season for weddings, engagements, and holiday greeting card preparation — which means ‘tis the season to have the contact information of an amazing local photographer on hand.
Enter Emmi Claire Photography. Emily is a Richmond-based wedding, branding, and portrait photographer based out of Richmond, Virginia. She photographs families, couples, engagement, lifestyle, seniors, graduations, and more. (Fun fact: She also once won a car on The Price Is Right. For real!)
RVAx members enjoy 20% off photography sessions with Emmi Claire Photography across all services including head shots, events, family, lifestyle, real estate, branding, or anything else you need.
Simply select “Other” from the drop-down in the referral section on her contact form, then type The Richmond Experience in the Details section!
new + trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey new members!
We'd like to welcome 34 new members this week: Bonnie D., Audrey Y., Emily N., Mindy B., Sam R., Lauren M., Don B., Camryn F., Chrissy V., Jamerson S., Ashli L., Victoria S., Kyle R., Carla H., Candice H., Sammy H., Rachel W., Elizabeth A., Maeghan O., Nadia E., Breaha T., Megan Q., Ashley C., Leigha M., Kelly D., Madison L., Sarah W., Wendy G., Chelsea W., Melanie B., Courtney L., Yu P., Katie N., and Taylor S., 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 128 of the Weekly Insider.
Stay well friends,
Alicia @ The Richmond Experience
Thank you to Yes Life Financial for powering this edition of the Weekly Insider from The Richmond Experience!
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