Ed 197: Church Hill ChocoTacos, Botanical Watercolor Workshops, The Ultimate Spring 2022 Event Roundup
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Happy International Women’s Day, Richmonders! 👋
Or if you’re reading this post-International Women’s Day: Happy Post-International Women’s Day, Richmonders!
Mother Nature has evidently been feeling herself in celebration, and we’re all thawed out after enjoying these last few days of beautiful weather ourselves. We’ve also been getting warm and fuzzy seeing posts on posts in support of stellar chicks near and far, and we say keep that up — Women’s History Month is still going strong, after all.
And speaking of people to celebrate, we’ve got a s/o dedicated to you: The Richmond Experience donates a portion of each annual membership purchased to rotating nonprofits every month. Diversity Richmond was on the calendar for our February donation, and because of you, we were able to support their mission to build “a community where LGBTQ+ citizens are treated with respect and dignity, and their unique gifts are championed and celebrated, enriching the colorful fabric of our community.” THANK YOU!
Damn, this feels good. I mean, this time last week, it was all “leaving the keys in the door,” “losing the debit card,” “accidentally filling the gas tank until it overflowed,” but look at us now! We’re movin’, we’re groovin’!
Okay, let’s keep it up. Remember to support your fave local, women-owned business(es), and see below for more “Oo, I should do that” inspiration.
WEATHER
Wednesday: Rainy and chilly; high of 47°, low of 37°
Thursday: Partly cloudy; high of 54°, low of 34°
Friday: Partly cloudy but warmer (!); high of 64°, low of 51°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 6:30 - 9 pm: HumpDay HaHas
Thursday, 6:30 - 9 pm: Winter Soups II - End of the Season (In Person Class)
Friday, 6 - 11 pm: St. Patrick’s Day Warm Up
CITY GUIDES
1. THE ULTIMATE SPRING 2022 EVENT ROUNDUP
2. THE TRENDSPOTTER: MARCH 2022
3. MUSIC ROUNDUP: CONCERTS & SHOWS HAPPENING IN RICHMOND THROUGH MARCH 31
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
Doug Orleski: He’s the talented illustrator behind RVA Coffee Stain, crafting delightfully whimsical art out of his home studio in Central Virginia. It’s truly hard to pick a favorite work of his, but we’re way big fans of the A Christmas Story-inspired VMFA piece. Follow him on Instagram for more like that, and check out his Etsy shop when you (undoubtedly) find something you want to frame.
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including who’s calling their new ice cream flavor “the best we’ve ever made,” where to get your fresh produce, new opportunities to help Fox Elementary, and more.
THE LATEST:
THINGS TO EAT & DRINK
More deets on The Deuce: We mentioned The Deuce in Ed 195, but we peeped some fresh press about the spot this week and wanted to fill you in. “[Jackson Ward] was so full of life, and then the highway killed it. I want to bring the energy of those vibrant businesses back and offer another destination in Richmond,” said owner Shane Roberts-Thomas. To do that, she’s offering a menu of lamb lollipops, filet mignon, and a host of vegetarian options to pair with top-shelf whiskey drinks and more at this swanky, new jazz lounge in town. (Style Weekly)
This is the scoop: We’ve been big Spotty Dog Ice Cream Co. fans (see: SpottyHeads) for years, so when we heard they’d be moving into a full-on parlor in Church Hill this spring, well — we all screamed for ice cream. The shop will serve its “ultra-rich, ultra-creamy ice cream with a bit of bite” in addition to the ChocoTacos and other delish novelties they’ve treated us to, by way of their East End pop-ups and pint porch deliveries, for almost four years. (Richmond BizSense)
This is the other scoop: Anthony’s on the Hill brought back its soft serve ice cream, and Charm School reopened its doors with an introduction to new, almost-too-cool-for-school flavor Pistachio Delight — dairy pistachio ice cream mixed with marshmallows and walnuts; a nod to Watergate Salad but a pistachio-y take on Rocky Road, too. One of “the best flavors we’ve ever made,” they said. (Instagram, Instagram)
Aw, shucks: Now, look. We had big plans to highlight the First Annual Oyster Fest at Jardin. Heck, we had big plans to attend the First Annual Oyster Fest at Jardin! But the fact is, tickets were such a hot commodity that they’re now sold out af. STILL, as we’ve mentioned here and there, Jardin is a great new wine shop and bar in the Fan, and well, you should just go anyway. The fest happens on Wednesday, March 16, and while you can’t necessarily purchase tickets anymore, the spot will sell additional Muscadet and oysters à la carte, while supplies last. And if you don’t find success with that, there’s always champagne. (Instagram)
THINGS TO DO
You’ll sew want to read this: Top Stitch — a low-waste sewing studio where owner Lisa Hutchinson teaches sewing lessons, repairs clothing, and makes fiber art — turns four this month! To celebrate, it’s opening its doors on Saturday, March 12, and giving folks the chance to say hello, see the studio in person, and drop off anything that needs mending. (Instagram)
Spend some green and eat your greens: Shine Farms has partnered with Afterglow Coffee Cooperative and designated the soon-to-officially-open beanery as another CSA pick-up location. In case you don’t know, CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture,” meaning you, the consumer, pay for a CSA share of Shine Farms at the beginning of each season, enabling them to produce ethically grown and nutritional produce year-round. This, in turn, gets you fresh fruits and veggies on a weekly basis. (Instagram)
Looking forward to this with a Hardy appetite: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery is hosting an art auction at its Ownby Ln location on Friday, March 18. A ticket to the event gets you two drinks, appetizers, access to bid at the live auction, and the opp to enjoy live music, but most importantly, all ticket proceeds go to William Fox Elementary School PTA. If you can’t make it, you can still donate to the cause or bid on silent auction items. (Instagram)
Move your stems and get to class: Richmond local and food illustrator and stylist Molly Reeder is teaching a pair of Botanical Watercolor Workshops at Chatham Flower Farm on Saturday, June 18. Along with painter and Chatham Flower Farm owner Kate Winfield Meyer, Molly will educate attendees on the watercolor basics — including wet and dry techniques — using farm-sourced flowers as the sessions’ muses. Painting materials, a garden lunch, and other refreshments are included with each ticket. (Instagram)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
😭Buz and Ned’s closed its original location on Arthur Ashe Blvd. (CBS6 News Richmond)
🦊Richmonder and Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship: Season 7 WINNER, Keya Wingfield, is hosting a bake sale to benefit William Fox Elementary School. DM her here for ways you can participate. (Instagram)
🦴️Work For Your Beer, former RVAx managing editor Alicia Valenski’s company, is hosting two events this month to celebrate the memory of her beloved Great Pyrenees pup Luna, who Alicia and her husband unexpectedly lost last May: Downward Dogs for Luna at Tabol Brewing and LUNA Beer Release & Dog Paw-ty. (Facebook, Facebook)
Weekly Giveaway
Vana Chupp Studio
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 8, and it’s about that time we start thinking about how to celebrate the ultimate superwomen in our lives. Exquisite, heirloom-quality jewelry might be the way to go.
This week, we’re giving away a $100 gift certificate to Vana Chupp Studio — a boutique lifestyle brand known for transforming photographs into one-of-a-kind treasures, such as custom silhouette portraits, jewelry, and other personalized accessories.
To enter to win: Tell us one of your favorite things about Mom!
Last week: Congratulations to last week’s winner, Katie B., for winning our The Jungle Room giveaway!
Member Perks
Lady Rose Specialty Teas
We’ve been spoiled with this spring-y weather lately, but NBC12’s Andrew Freiden reminded us the last frost date for Central Virginia is somewhere around April 20. So, there’s plenty of cozy szn left (Hi, today’s chilly temps!), and Lady Rose Specialty Teas are a great way to stay warm (and indulge in some self-care).
Members of The Richmond Experience get 20% off your orders with code LADYROSERVA at checkout.
New + Trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey, new members!
We'd like to welcome 33 new members this week: Dorota H., Suzanne N., Katie A., Amanda B., Lindsay S., Kyra A., Meredith E., Emily S., Bronwyn G., Benjamin S., Jennifer F., Michael Q., Julia G., Isabella C., Kevin M., Will V., Ellie B., Sarah M., Ryan S., Maggie S., Rinu N., Hollie L., Hannah Y., Regina G., Allison R., Steven G., Amber A., Samantha F., Elizabeth B., Sam W., Chelsea M., Susan S., and Jan C., 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 197 of The Weekly Insider.
Have a great week!
- The Richmond Experience
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