Ed 97: Community, Custard Truck, Tacos, & More!
Image Credit: Sidd Kumar
Hey there!
By now, you are probably familiar with the updates issued by Governor Northam this past Monday, March 23, including the ban of gatherings of ten people or more. If you need any clarity, you can find a quick and easy guide located here. As of today, the state of Virginia has 391 confirmed cases with 13 in the City of Richmond, 11 in Chesterfield, and 20 in Henrico. The total number of cases in the United States has risen to 62,873, third highest in the world behind China 81,661, and Italy 74,386. Keep in mind this is due in part by increased testing. Lastly, Unacast, a company that analyzes human mobility, has given the state of Virginia a B on the Social Distancing Scoreboard. Let’s see if we can improve our score by next week!
This week we’ve got some feel-good community news, a creative move by a local taco joint, a few closures, and some fun ways to kill time. Plus virtual events are starting to pop-up on our event calendar and a caffeinated giveaway! Onward…
THE LATEST:
Image Credit: @briestillmyheart
Image Source: @dontlookback.co
Image Source: @jijifrozencustard
Image Source: Betty Clicker
SOCIAL NEWS
VCU Health is feeling the love this week with two separate community initiatives providing nourishment, caffeine, and joy to their medical team! Our friends over at The Hodges Partnership teamed up with Ironclad Coffee Roasters to deliver nearly six gallons of cold-pressed coffee yesterday. Ironclad enjoyed the experience so much they decided to make daily deliveries for as long as they can. They’ve created a page on their website. If you’re interested in contributing towards their new Cold Brew for Our Helpers campaign. On the other side of town, local Richmonder, Dawn Graham, collected over $1,300 to purchase lunch for the VCU Health team through Joe’s Inn. Deliveries should happen by the end of this week, if not early next. We love to see how much our community is coming together during this time!
Two more local spots are closing and both seem to be due in part by COVID-19. Onigiri, a grab-and-go restaurant in Carytown, serving onigiri and kimchi, has closed. According to their Instagram post, it’s possible we’ll see them again in the future in a new location. Meanwhile Brick and Mortar and Brick and Mortar Coffee have also closed their doors. They are currently looking for someone to takeover their lease, in case you know anyone looking. Last week, Greenleaf Pool Room and Citizen announced permanent closings.
Got time to kill? You can take Yale University’s most popular course online for free. The Science of Well-Being, a course designed to engage you in a series of challenges to “increase your own happiness and build more productive habits,” is being offered through Coursera for nothing. The professor suggests dedicating three hours per week and the entire course can be completed within 20 hours. Register here.
Missing the farmers market? Three local companies are offering local meat and produce! Seven Hills Food Co. has beef boxes available for $60-$120, Keany Produce & Gourmet has vegetable boxes, fruit boxes, and combination boxes for $25-$30, and Cavalier Produce is offering meat, cheese, eggs, and produce (comparable to average grocery store pricing)! Cavalier also has a program where you can buy a box and give a box to a restaurant industry worker.
Don’t Look Back got super creative to raise funds for their staff of 65 after temporarily closing their doors. They created the Don’t Look Back Club, an annual membership package for $25, which provides members with a 10% discount card plus a branded tote bag and shot glass. For $15 more, participants can also snag a DLB t-shirt featuring artwork by James Callahan of Barf Comics. They gained more than 200 members within the first 24 hours! According to their site, they hope to see other businesses create similar clubs so they can partner to offer a 10% discount at each spot. Pretty clever, and who doesn’t love tacos?
During a recent walk around our neighborhood I heard bells in the distance and for a moment I thought it was an ice cream truck (seriously, you can imagine my excitement!). Turns out it was just church bells but after a little research this can easily be a reality! Local custard truck, Jiji Frozen Custard, known for their creative pundaes, has teamed up with the Salt & Forge food truck to offer dinner and dessert and they may be coming to a neighborhood near you soon! Check out the SCHEDULE highlight on Jiji’s Instagram for their whereabouts.
Bryant’s Cider had been eagerly waiting to open the doors of their new location in Shockoe Bottom and then COVID hit. Instead, they threw a curbside celebration where Richmonders could take a peek inside and then purchase cider to-go. They will continue to offer curbside cider on Fridays from 6pm-8pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 3pm-5pm plus you can call to schedule a pick-up during the week. We suggest Unicorn Fuel (with rose hips and hibiscus) or the Ecto Cooler (made with orange peel and lactose). Service industry folks get 50% off all bottles and cans! Cheers!
ICYMI, we spent five minutes registering for an e-card for the Richmond Public Library and it’s been such a game changer! We’ve already downloaded books to our e-readers (for free) and there are tons of other benefits. You can register here.
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES
Navigating COVID-19 in Richmond
This has truly been a community effort and we appreciate all the emails and DMs to help us keep this guide updated.
Check it out here for takeout and delivery inspo, the best resources for COVID information, local produce options, and more.
Weekly Giveaway
Lamplighter Coffee
four-pack coffee sampler
Since 2009, Lamplighter has been a small, community-oriented coffee shop serving up original blends, seasonal lattes, and more in a bright and welcoming space. All three locations are currently closed as they work to determine possible carryout and delivery options. In the meantime, you can still get caffeinated from their online shop. This week we are giving away their sampler pack which includes four 4oz bags, one of each of their current single origin offers!
TO ENTER: Send us the answer to this riddle: A necessity to some, a treasure to many, I’m best enjoyed among pleasant company. Some like me hot, some like me cold. Some prefer mild, some like me bold. What am I?
A winner will be randomly selected to receive the four-pack shipped directly to their door!
Last week: Congratulations to Kattie N. for being our giveaway winner of the week! A crisp cider after a long hike sounds lovely — and if done correctly could still be considered safe during these times! Blue Bee Cider continues to offer drive-thru pickup as well as local home delivery every day of the week 12pm-6pm. Place your order online and have Blue Bee Cider delivered to your doorstep within the hour!
Member Perks
BLOSSOM
BLOSSOM is a locally owned and operated plant-based health and wellness store, providing a curated collection of high quality, sustainable, and ethically sourced products for the health-conscious and wellness seeking individuals. Their natural products include adaptogens, hemp CBD, plant and fungi-based supplements in the form of tinctures, creams, powders, edibles, and more. BLOSSOM aims to provide not only a safe place to purchase these wellness products, but serve as a trustworthy resource of information within this growing industry.
Members get a 10% discount, just tell them you’re a member!
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey new members!
We'd like to welcome 22 new members: Danielle K., Jennifer E., J R., Sarah T., Jamie F., Heather P., Becca N., Kaylyn H., Stephanie S., Jacqueline A,. Jamie M., Mitzy M., Kathy C., Sydney B., Kady D., Shannon S., Kim D., Graham S., Amanda M., Virginia P,. Diana C., Mary Kate M., and Samantha 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 97 of the Weekly Insider.
Stay well friends,
Sam & Sean
new + trending from RVAx
OUR LOCAL PARTNERS
