Ed 299: Modern Afghan Cuisine, Prom Dress Drive, Intimate Tasting Experience
Powered by Vogue Flower Market — still need to order flowers for Easter? We say go with the Essentially Spring or Terrific Tulips!
Happy Spring!
Congrats to Maddy M. for winning our Brambly Park giveaway! And thanks to the rest of you for playing along — what a delight to see so many bunny emojis in my inbox. I gotta request that more often.
How’re you doing this week? *Personally*, all this warmer weather has me ready to hit the shore already. I’m gearing up for a li’l overnight to Virginia Beach (just two-ish hours to our right, you know!), and I’ve been trying to figure out where to get coffee, where to get (my first round of) fish tacos, and where to top it all off with an ice-cold beer. Think the rain’ll hold off? Does it even matter when you can still smell the salt water??
NOW, need some inspo for your next few days? Let’s get right to it, then!
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including who’s setting up a bake shop, flood risk info, a date night idea, and more.
WEATHER
Wednesday: Sunny; high of 67°, low of 39°
Thursday: Sunny; high of 55°, low of 32°
Friday: Cloudy; high of 61°, low of 33°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 6 - 9 pm: RVAx BOOK CLUB MEETING: THE GREAT ALONE
Thursday, 7 - 9 pm: TRIVIA NIGHT AT BINGO BEER CO
Friday, 7 - 10 pm: ‘80s KARAOKE NIGHT
CITY GUIDES
1. THE ULTIMATE SPRING 2024 EVENT ROUNDUP
Image Source: @elsiefrieda
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
Chrissy Harrison: She founded Elsie Frieda, a local bauble co offering bold, colorful, handcrafted jewelry — now *also* available at Bergdorf Goodman and as seen on big-time celebs (like Rita Ora and Ellen Pompeo, to name a couple). If you’re packing for upcoming vacation plans, DM the Elsie Frieda team or stop by the Elsie Frieda showroom and let them style you before you’re officially OOO!
THE LATEST:
Image Source: Richmond Ivy Soccer Club
Image Source: Science Museum of Virginia
Image Source: @kelseyheintzistyping
Image Source: The Mantu
SOCIAL NEWS
Before or after you order popcorn: “Food is the ocean of love,” says The Mantu, and we’re feeling especially warm and fuzzy after the spot’s announcement last week. Owner of The Mantu, Chef Hamidullah Noori, plans to take over the Two Guys Pizza space in the West End, next to Regal Short Pump. Similar to The Mantu, Chef Noori’s new concept — The Mantu Express — will offer Richmonders another must-try place for modern Afghan cuisine, like sambosas, tandoori naan, and more. (Instagram)
Here’s to the nights we felt alive: Have an old prom dress or know someone in need of one? Local Alexis Tucker is hosting a prom dress drive for Thomas Jefferson High School students. Between 9 am and 7 pm, until Tuesday, March 26, you can drop off gowns at 9710 Midlothian Tpke and spread some joy for teens in our area getting ready for the spring dance. Alexis is also accepting accessories — shoes, bags, jewels, and all. (WTVR)
Kicking things off: Just ahead of its first season (starting on May 11!), USL W League Richmond announced its new name and crest. In honor of RVA’s thriving nature (in more ways than one), the team will be called Richmond Ivy. “Richmond has grown into a city where we lift each other up and look to grow in order to build a more tight-knit community. This city has provided a space in which women and women’s soccer have been able to thrive.” (Richmond Ivy)
Breathing easy about this one: The Homefront research team over at USA Today recently ranked Richmond the top climate-resilient city in America. Comparing 96 cities across the board, USA Today evaluated various key metrics to determine which places are most prepared to withstand climate-related challenges. Here’s how RVA looks at a glance:
FEMA Risk Index: 43.02
Severe Weather Episodes (2019 - 2023): 47
Tree Equity Score: 80
Renewable Energy Tax Incentives: 1
2050 Projected Baseline Water Stress: 0.31
Riverine Flooding Risk: 0.23
Coastal Flood Risk: 0.00
Drought Risk: 1.93
(RVA Mag)
Plans for your next date night: Common House and Birdie’s are joining forces to offer a new dining experience. The Cellar Series is a limited seating, multi-course tasting experience for eight guests in Common House’s Wine Cellar. The two orgs will offer one dinner per month, and each one will feature a different theme. Tix are limited to two per person, and the first ones are up for grabs later this week. Keep an eye out! (Instagram)
How to expand your local history knowledge: Gotten a glimpse of the latest happenings with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts? This week marks the 58th Annual Conference of the NCECA, and our friend at the org sent us a program guide, including all the emerging artists, exhibitions, and more to know. The event honors the history of our land and the communities it serves, and says the NCECA, “The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts believes that working with and learning through clay connects us to one another, the earth, and people of diverse wisdom traditions whom we honor. The land that makes up the Commonwealth of Virginia today was an early point of contact between Indigenous peoples and European settlers. NCECA acknowledges this conference takes place in 2024 on lands interwoven with the presence of the tribes that made up the Powhatan Chiefdom and the Monacan Nation since time immemorial. We honor all indigenous peoples, past, present, and future.” (NCECA Program Guide)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
🥐There’s bake-shop talk from the folks at Beaucoup. (Instagram)
⚛️The Science Museum of Virginia is working with local libraries on a way for families facing financial challenges to more easily access the museum. (WTVR)
Image Source: Urban Hang Suite
Weekly Giveaway
Urban Hang Suite
The time change, the new season, the allergies — we get it: You need a little pick-me-up. Let us grab you a coffee!
This week, we’re giving away 10 bucks to Urban Hang Suite! “This ain’t Maxwell’s House,” as they say.
To enter, tell us: Where’s your favorite picnic spot in RVA?
Last week: Congratulations to last edition’s winners, Lindsey B. and Jacqueline M., for winning The Psychology of a Serial Killer giveaway!
Image Source: RVA Bachata
Member Perks
RVA Bachata
Looking to spice up your movement routine this spring? Enter: RVA Bachata. The org was founded in 2017 by husband-wife team Ruddy Rivera and Rachel Marie Kleinberg to provide music and Latin dance entertainment at social, family, and corporate events in Richmond and its surrounding areas.
Members of The Richmond Experience save $2 off the standard $7 ticket for RVA Bachata dance events when you mention The Richmond Experience at the door.
New + Trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 26 new members this week: Asaru L., Jodi C., Simrit W., Matt W., Miranda A., Emma H., Paige R., David W., AJ J., Allyssa T., Tom S., Elly F., Rachael L., Scott G., Sophia C., Brina B., Robert P., David M., Nicole P., Kayla S., Chelsea P., Jon J., Kara L., Catherine C., Alie S., and Kelsey D., 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 299 of The Weekly Insider.
Have a great second half!
- The Richmond Experience
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