Ed 268: Oatmeal Cream Pies, Wedding Caterers, Lab School
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Hey!
Folks, I’m in the content planning sessions for our City Guides, but I’m still fan-girling right now. Like, this salad one our contributing writer Alie put together? I’ve reread each rec just to thoroughly take in every detail like it’s a local mural or something! I quite literally must try that Royal Siam situation she talks about. Drooling over here!
And she just rounded up a list of spots to check out for a $10(ish) lunch. Catch it when you head down that way 👇 and tell us you’re NOT making a stop at Christopher’s RunAway Gourmay this week for some marinated cucumbers. We simply won’t believe you.
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including a weird-and-cozy oyster restaurant, day camps for kids, Richmond tourism trends, and more.
WEATHER
Wednesday: Sunny; high of 86°, low of 65°
Thursday: Mostly sunny; high of 87°, low of 67°
Friday: High chance of rain; high of 81°, low of 70°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 6 - 8 pm: RVA YOGA HANG SUMMER SERIES AT STARR HILL ROOFTOP
Thursday, 5 - 8 pm: NOSH & NIBBLES
Friday, 10 am - Closing: 804 DAY IN CARYTOWN
CITY GUIDES
1. 7 LOCAL RESTAURANTS FOR A $10(ISH) LUNCH
2. 11 LOCAL CATERERS TO BOOK FOR YOUR WEDDING OR OTHER BIG EVENT
3. FARMERS MARKET ROUNDUP: A GUIDE TO MARKETS ACROSS THE CITY
Image: Library of Virginia
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
LVA On the Go: In celebrating its 200th anni, the Library of Virginia revved up LVA On the Go earlier this year, and the project’s been rolling right along ever since. The custom-made vehicle brings the Library’s vast resources and staff expertise to various parts of Virginia, highlighting local history and culture all over the state. Keep up with its whereabouts here!
THE LATEST:
SOCIAL NEWS
We’re shuckers for this: There’s a new spot for oysters coming to town. The Oyster Society opens its doors in Petersburg soon (or so this Insta post has us believe!), and both the food and decor are making our eyes turn to little (heart-shaped, ofc) shells. The flexible menu will feature things like Scallops in Pigs’ Clothing (scallops, bacon dough, Dijon hollandaise) and a house gin martini with an oyster-brine and seasonal mignonette. Eat and drink that (and then some) as you enjoy the eclectic art collection that covers the walls. The owners want it all to feel weird, cozy, and comfortable, and just from the looks of it, we think they nailed it. (Richmond magazine)
Make the friendship bracelets: Maymont is riding the success of its Summer Camps into the school year. Between September and April, its new Out-of-School Day Camps will give kids in grades kindergarten through 8th the chance to hang at the historic estate and park, where they’ll get to complete scavenger hunts, go on nature and history walks, see animals, and more. Two educators will lead each day of events (with a 9:1 student-teacher ratio), and snacks will be provided — but make sure to send your little ones with a packed lunch and reusable water bottle for the day. Sessions start at $70 per participant, but if you’re a Maymont member, you get a 25% discount! (Maymont)
So intelligence coded: VCU and CodeRVA Regional High School are partnering to utilize the Richmond-area high school as Virginia’s first lab school. Per The Center Square’s write-up about the development, “A lab school is a K-12 school that works with an institution of higher education to serve mutually beneficial goals and purposes. A lab school functions as a kind of education ‘laboratory,’ where education is less traditional and more experimental and hands-on.” This partic lab school will offer education in computer science and coding, so students can graduate with an associate degree, industry certs, and up to 360 hours of work experience in a practical information technology environment. And the Virginia Department of Education hopes to add 20 more lab school partners to the mix next year. (The Center Square)
Neighborhood incoming: Sauer Properties is building out a new neighborhood as part of its next phase of the Sauer Center development. The org owns 37 acres between Hermitage Rd, W Broad St, and N Allen Ave, and with all that land, it plans to add residential, retail, and office buildings; parks; pedestrian walkways; and green spaces. Sauer Properties president, Ashley Peace, says the goal is to make the area unique but complementary and uplifting to Richmond as a whole. (Richmond BizSense)
Here’s your staycation inspo: Yes, it’s as if everyone is summering abroad in Europe or catching the Renaissance World Tour these days, but if you go by some recent RVAHub reporting, it would seem that RVA is really the place to be. “Richmond Region hotels set yet another year-over-year record for annual occupancy tax revenue. For the 2023 fiscal year that just concluded on June 30, the region’s hotels generated a total of $35,000,965 in lodging taxes, which represents a 16.36 percent increase from last year.” Things like GalaxyCon, the National Genealogical Society Family History Conference, and the Southeast Chapter of the Nuclear Energy Institute’s Women in Nuclear 2022 Conference (each hosted at the Greater Richmond Convention Center) are to credit for the attraction to Richmond. Also, sports tourism is big for us — we hosted the Atlantic 10 Conference Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country Championship, the US Masters Swimming 2022 Summer Nationals, and 2022 Shooting Star Field Hockey Tournament. (RVAHub)
C is for Cookie: OMG OCP's is getting a storefront! An opening date is still in the works, but you’ll soon be able to find the “oatmeal cream pie cookies that make you say, ‘OMG,’” at 3 N 17th St. There’s a dog-friendly patio, there are non-alcoholic beverages on tap (nitro cold brew, kombucha and mead, Bugle Call Coffee), and there are, of course, divine desserts. Keep an eye on Instagram for details. (Instagram)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
💰If you’re looking for a big summer splurge, Hadad’s Lake is on sale for just under a cool $1 mil. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
🦆Don’t forget!: The RVA Duck Race and Festival of Inclusion happens on Brown’s Island this Saturday, August 5. (Autism Society of Central Virginia)
🏷Monkee’s — a clothing, shoes, and accessories shop — is set to open in Carytown on Friday, August 11. (Instagram)
Weekly Giveaway
The National: August Line-Up
We’re not going to shout it or anything, but we regret to inform you that the end of concert season is on the horizon. Let us help you end things on a high note before the drop-off into fall, tho.
This week, we're teaming up with The National again to give away two pairs of tickets to each of these August shows:
Goth Babe on Friday, August 11
Ryan Hamilton on Saturday, August 12
Rumours: Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band on Friday, August 18
Emo Night on Saturday, August 26
To enter, tell us: Which show do you want to see, AND what’re you reading right now?
Last week: Congratulations to last edition’s winner, Polina B., for winning the Reserve Pass giveaway!
Member Perks
The National & Virginia Credit Union LIVE!
Need to pack in even more shows on your calendar?
Members of The Richmond Experience get special access to free and discounted concert tickets at The National and Virginia Credit Union LIVE!
Tickets listed as “All In” offers are all-inclusive of any online service fees. Free ticket offers are subject to a small processing fee at checkout, which will cover up to four tickets. All offers end at 10 pm EST the day before the event date, so don’t wait!
New + Trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 26 new members this week: Laura C., Lauren S., Kristina H., Tyler M., Nathan O., Zack N., Osama A., Michael S., Destina E., Sarah R., Dichelle J., Kaitlyn H., Lucy R., Jason R., Molly B., Hannah T., Julia L., Vanessa S., Rebecca H., Annie M., Ramona B., Matthew S., Tiffany C., Liz W., Covey K., and Ashley G., 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 268 of The Weekly Insider.
Miss u already!
- The Richmond Experience
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