Ed 243: Custom Sneakers, New Juice Bar, Pickleball
Hi, humans!👋
We’re dropping in a little later than usual today; we hope your morning is off to a good start! (I mean, can you even with this weather!? 😍) February is officially in full swing, and the month is packed! For starters, it’s Black History Month, and there are many happenings around the city to honor and celebrate. It’s also the month of love, and this year, I’m personally focused on self-love and friend love.
As I type this, I’m listening to The Guide to Navigating Friendship on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, and there are so many great suggestions around making new friends later in life, setting boundaries in friendships, and maintaining connection when you’re at different points in your lives. Perhaps the greatest takeaway I’ve heard so far is that adult friendships are often few and far between, so if you feel like you don’t have a big squad of friends, you’re not alone!
Give it a listen, spread some love this month, and then grab a friend and make some plans! February might be the shortest month of the year, but it’s packed to the brim:
Head over to our hand-curated event calendar for all the going ons throughout the month. Don’t forget to leave some time for rest (aka self-love!).
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including where to get custom kicks, the new juice bar downtown, exciting mac and cheese news, and more.
WEATHER
Wednesday: Sun and clouds mixed; high of 68°, low of 42°
Thursday: Cloudy; high of 69°, low of 56°
Friday: PM showers; high of 62°, low of 43°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 6:30 - 9:30 pm: WINE + WOOD WEDNESDAY AT AR WORKSHOP
Thursday, 4 - 7 pm: NOSH & NIBBLES AT TRUCKLE CHEESEMONGERS
Friday, 6:30 pm: RICHMOND SYMPHONY AT HARDYWOOD
CITY GUIDES
1. 16 NEXT-LEVEL DATE NIGHT IDEAS (THAT AREN’T JUST DINNER & A MOVIE)
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
Alex Smith-Scales: By now, you’ve probably seen Alex over on our Insta, but we wanted to share a little more about who she is and what she’s up to! Alex has been our Social Media Coordinator since September 2021 and has visited nearly 100 local spots throughout the city🤯 Alex is an alumnus of the University of Virginia and is currently a master’s candidate at the coveted VCU Brandcenter, studying Creative Brand Management. She was born and raised in Richmond and loves everything about it. Alex is an Aries, an activist, and an absolute joy to be around (seriously, if you see her out and about, definitely say hello!). When she’s not holed up in the library studying, you can find her adventuring around the city capturing content, singing karaoke at NY Deli, or grabbing sushi at Fighting Fish!
THE LATEST:
Image: @bigwifesmacandcheese
Image: @blackertheberryjuice
Image: @metrorichmondzoo
Image: @sipsandtripswithpaige
SOCIAL NEWS
Return of the mac: The time has finally come! The highly anticipated (and long-awaited) BigWife’s Mac and Cheese brick-and-mortar will open very soon at 1017 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd in Scott’s Addition. John and Jayme, owners of Old Original Bookbinder’s Seafood and Steakhouse, had the idea for this concept as Jayme craved the comfort of cheesy mac and cheese during her pregnancies. Their food truck has been a smashing success (check out Alex’s visit here), so we’re incredibly excited to see this restaurant open. I can’t think of anything better than a warm bowl of mac goodness during this frigid month! Keep an eye on their social for an official open date. (Instagram)
Keep chill, shake well: These are the instructions at the bottom of every glass bottle sold at the new Blacker The Berry juice bar at 10 N 18th St in Shocokoe Bottom. They sold out twice on their opening day (1/28), which just speaks to how delicious their juice is, and how supportive the RVA community is! The menu includes cold-pressed juices, smoothies, cleansers, shots, and homemade dog treats for our furry pals. Lots of time, love, and energy has gone into this juice bar, as it’s been three years in the making! Go check it out this week, and heads up, their bottle buy-back program gives you $1 off your next purchase, so hang onto it for your next visit. (Instagram)
Local musician on the map: Ali Thibodeau (stage name Deau Eyes) has landed on NPR’s coveted 2023 Artists to Watch list. Compiled by Slingshot, NPR Music’s partner stations, these artists are “poised for greatness.” Check out her music on Spotify, or catch her live at Get Tight Lounge on February 18. (6AM City)
Sneakerheads, listen up: This one’s for you! A local VCU student is gaining national attention for his custom shoe business, where he airbrushes and hand paints artwork on sneakers and cleats. Jaden Mitchell is a double major, track and field athlete, and entrepreneur. He’s painted everything from portraits on Vans to Cocomelon on baby Af1s. Want your own custom pair? Send him a DM, or keep an eye on his social for creations available for purchase! (Axios Richmond)
First to 11, wins: I’m talking about pickleball. It’s been all the rage, and now Richmond’s getting an indoor facility! Bangers and Dinks is slated to open early this summer at 1516 Kroger Center Blvd in Chesterfield. With 25,000 square feet of space, the facility will offer eight indoor pickleball courts, a lounge area, food, drinks, and even classes. You can purchase a membership for unlimited access, or a day pass to visit. Get on their newsletter list for upcoming announcements and more info. And, be on the lookout for an outdoor pickleball court City Guide coming later this month! (Richmond BizSense)
Changes in Church Hill: Frontier by Alamo was a long time in the making, and when it finally opened in 2019, it quickly closed again due to COVID. In the meantime, its sister restaurant Alamo BBQ continued to operate from its walk-up window and patio space. Frontier finally reopened late last year, and now Alamo BBQ will temporarily close and move its operations to Frontier while they complete some exciting renovations. The well-known Alamo patio sits at the bottom of Jefferson Hill Park and has been part of the neighborhood since 2009. We’re excited to see Alamo get a little love! (Richmond BizSense)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
🐧: The Richmond Metro Zoo believes they have the oldest African penguin to ever live! Her name is ET, and she’s 43 and thriving. In the wild, penguins typically live for 15-20 years.
🥾: While hiking on the Buttermilk trail, James River Parks System’s trail manager Andrew Alli gave a brief interview on trail maintenance and the great RVA outdoors. (Good Morning RVA)
🍻: Fun fact — it’s been ten years since VA laws changed to allow breweries to sell beer for on-site consumption. At that time, the state had only 44 breweries in operation. Now it’s close to 300. (Axios Richmond)
Weekly Giveaway
The National: March Line-Up
This week, we're teaming up with The National again to give away two pairs of tickets to each of these February shows:
To enter, tell us: What show would you like to see?
Last week: Congratulations to last edition’s winner, Jackie B., for winning a $15 gift card to For The Love of Chocolate. We love the smiley face heart-shaped candy, too! 🙂
Member Perks
Piffy Boutique
Piffy Boutique is a locally-owned women’s clothing boutique. We offer off the runway looks at an affordable price. Let our amazing Stylists help you find an outfit for the weekend, pieces for your 9 to 5 work week, or a little number for your special night out. We have beautiful jewelry, fun shoes, cute purses, and trendy home items.
Members of The Richmond Experience get 20% off in-store purchases when you spend $100 or more. Just tell them you’re a member when you check out!
New + Trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 26 new members this week: Erin H., Thomas S., Barbara R., Kiele M., Jeff F., Atticus R., Anne N., Margaret F., Marit R., Mike B., Ryan L., Erin M., Aldo V., Lola A., Bri E., Jonathan B., Morgan W., Michelle S., Leti W., Kyle M., Caroline L., Sophie W., Sophie R., Haley R., Ryan P., and Jamet J., 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 243 of The Weekly Insider.
Have a great week!
- The Richmond Experience
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