Ed 273: Taco Festival, Community Cafe, Food Truck Lot
Happy September!
No, I didn’t make that pitstop at The Emerald Lounge on my way home from the airport last week to extend my vacay and sip on More Than Words.
But it’s fine.
My long-weekend plans included a visit to Hardywood West Creek, where I scooped up a four-pack of Farmhouse Pumpkin, a can of which I’m sipping on now as I write this (and pretend it’s not 94 degrees outside, lolll). Local sugar pie pumpkins, whole nutmeg, clove and allspice, and fresh ginger root? (H)eat your heart out, Virginia summer!
But look, I know it can be a little controversial to get all ~fall~ before it’s truly FALL, so let me reassure you summer lovers: There’s plenty of time left before the clock strikes September 23 and your carriage really turns into a pumpkin. Did you hear about this Taco Beer Tequila Festival debuting on Kanawha Plaza next Saturday, September 16? A Guacamole Pavilion? A Churros and Chocolate Pavilion? Multiple margarita bars? Honestly, GO RIGHT TO HELL, AUTUMN EQUINOX!
… Did I mention this Farmhouse Pumpkin is 8.5% ABV? Anywho.
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including Innsbrook updates, Encanto in the outfield, celeb sightings, and more.
WEATHER
Wednesday: Partly cloudy; high of 96°, low of 73°
Thursday: Sunny and hot af; high of 97°, low of 74°
Friday: Partly cloudy; high of 90°, low of 72°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 9 am - 4:15 pm: BUTTERFLIES LIVE!
Thursday, 7 - 9 pm: TASTE OF ASHLAND
Friday, 6 - 9 pm: SOUNDS OF SEPTEMBER
CITY GUIDES
1. A WEEKEND TRIP TO CAPE CHARLES: WHAT TO EAT, DRINK, SEE & DO
Image: Top Stitch Mending
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
Lisa Hutchinson: She’s the brains behind Top Stitch Mending, a biz for mindful mending, clothing repair, and sewing lessons nestled in Church Hill. Keep up with her studio for tips and tricks, zero-waste pop-ups, how to fix that vintage dress you tried to fix on your own, and more.
THE LATEST:
SOCIAL NEWS
RVA’s GOATs and WOATs: Richmond magazine published its 36th annual Best & Worst issue, and in case you didn’t snag it from a newsstand originally, it’s now available online. FYI, here’s just some of the what’s what around town:
Biggest Gripe About the City: Parking Difficulties
Best Local Celeb Sighting: Ethan Hawke
Best Local Construction Project: The Diamond District (Richmond magazine)
Virginia is for lovers: There’s a community cafe coming to Manchester. After noticing symbols of allyship and support slowly disappear from their neighborhood in Tennessee, life partners and business owners Matthew and Nafis Narsinghani looked for somewhere new to plant roots. Given Virginia’s LGBTQ nondiscrimination laws, they quickly landed on part of the map — with plans to set up a coffee shop. Opening in early October, Gold Lion Community Cafe will “serve as a safe space where guests can experience everything from a local cup of coffee and Indian-tinged, plant-powered fare to craft cocktails and vegan bar nosh.” But that’s not all; come November, the newlywed duo also has plans for Duke’s Den, a bar-focused extension of the spot. (Richmond magazine)
Lindsey, party of TEN: Lindsey Food Group is at it again. This November, Innsbrook will welcome the husband-and-wife powerhouse’s (Chef Michael Lindsey and Kimberly Love-Lindsey’s) tenth concept, Farm + Oak. The restaurant will be a spinoff of the pair’s Lillie Pearl, with ninety percent of the menu finalized, featuring the New American eatery’s fare: short rib egg rolls, fried Brussels sprouts, lobster shrimp and grits, and peach cobbler bread pudding. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
In more Innsbrook news: There’s a four-acre food truck lot coming to the former Innsbrook After Hours event venue. The Glades opens next Friday, September 15, and will boast around 20 food truck options and covered seating. (CBS6)
Where to host a party: Starting this month, Nomad Deli & Catering Co. is opening its space and kitchen to local chefs and businesses. The spot will continue its catering services, but this new venture will allow other folks in the food industry a venue to host pop-ups and grow their followings. Nomad Deli will also make itself available as an event venue for small events, like baby showers, birthday parties, and more. (Instagram)
Are we noticing a trend?: The people can’t get enough of us (Richmonders)! Forbes recently published a piece, Forget Canceled And Delayed Flights, Plan An End-Of-Summer Road Trip To Richmond Instead, and featured lots of local goodies for travelers to check out, including:
Penny’s Wine Shop: “The antidote to the glut of too-cool-for-school wine bars nowadays.”
Pizza Bones: “The pies are puffy, crunchy, and packed with flavor thanks to the naturally leavened dough—whose crusts become more delectable after a dunk in the herbaceous ‘ranch bone-dipping sauce.’”
The Poe Museum: “[It’s] home to an expansive collection of the prolific writer’s artifacts, and can be experienced within an easy thirty minutes.” (Forbes)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
🥂ICYMI, there’s a new wine bar in town. (Richmond magazine)
🎁Outside the Box has moved locations. (Facebook)
💦 You may notice some new signs near the James River when you’re out on the road. (WRIC)
Image: @gosquirrels
Weekly Giveaway
Movies in the Outfield with the Flying Squirrels: Encanto
Summer’s good until the very last drop, and — as we say in our September issue of The Family Calendar — one of the best ways to take it all in is an outdoor movie. For their final movie in the outfield (of the season), the Richmond Flying Squirrels are showing Encanto! Bring your picnic blanket, grab some concessions, lie back and enjoy the show on us!
This week, we’re giving away two tickets to the Encanto showing on Saturday, September 16!
To enter, tell us: What year did Disneyland open?
Last week: Congratulations to last edition’s winner, Grace M., for winning the Virginia Spirits Expo giveaway!
Image: @virginiaspiritsexpo
Member Perks
Virginia Spirits Expo
Are you not Grace M. and thus not the winner of last edition’s giveaway? Don’t sweat it.
Members of The Richmond Experience can use code “RVAXExpo10” for $10 off their ticket. (This code can be used at checkout for any of the upcoming expos across the state!)
New + Trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 24 new members this week: Emily W., Mary W., Maddie C., Brady V., Stephanie M., Jason S., Hannah K., Cassidy S., Amanda K., Emma S., Rachel B., Mackenzie W., Kathy F., Ross M., Hannah R., Emily M., Roseanne B., Kristinia C., Lucas H., Andrew W., James A., Erika S., Luke C., and Ginger T., 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 273 of The Weekly Insider.
Enjoy the rest of your week!
- The Richmond Experience
Thank you to CITYROW for powering this edition of The Weekly Insider from The Richmond Experience!
OUR LOCAL PARTNERS
