Ed 368: Richmond's Best & Worst, 6.1-Acre Public Park, Jefferson Davis Statue
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Happy August!
ICYMI earlier this week, I posted a Reel about Metro Richmond Zoo’s latest animal encounter, the Galapagos Tortoise Experience. It was so cute! You get about 30 mins in the habitat with these shelled sweeties, observing them, learning about them, feeding them, and, in your head, def replaying that “I like turtles” clip that had us all in a chokehold in 2007. I highly recommend it.
I’ll chit-chat more about it on The Chatter this week, but take a looksie at your calendar and see if you can fit a visit in this summer. For now, the zoo’s only got spots to reserve through Labor Day Weekend 👀
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including a nearly 34-foot-tall LED display, a profound play returning to Dogwood Dell, butter chicken and samosas, and more.
PODCAST
WEATHER
Wednesday: Showers; high of 73°, low of 66°
Thursday: Mostly cloudy; high of 79°, low of 65°
Friday: Partly cloudy; high of 82°, low of 64°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 7 - 9 pm: BINGO AT BINGO
Thursday, 10:30 - 11:30 am: THEMED THURSDAYS AT VMHC
Friday, 6 - 9 pm: RICHMOND JAZZ & MUSIC FESTIVAL, DAY 1
CITY GUIDES
1. PLAN THE PERFECT WEEKEND IN LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA
Image Source: @pelikan_fly
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
Katie Pelikan: She’s the designer and illustrator whose style is all over Richmond magazine’s 2025 Best & Worst issue. Find her pieces on the cover and elsewhere, starting on page 84, including spot illustrations highlighting locals like yours truly (😇), Dogma Grooming + Pet Needs, Takara Ramen, Maymont, and more.
THE LATEST:
Image Source: Rutba Indian Kitchen
Image Source: Tifa Chocolate & Gelato
Image Source: Dogwood Dell
Image Source: The Valentine
SOCIAL NEWS
Here for the butter chicken+: The folks behind Anokha Cuisine of India have opened a new restaurant, Rutba Indian Kitchen, in Chesterfield’s Midlothian Village Square. The spot features Indian classics like butter chicken and samosas, as well as unique dishes like beetroot-based Chukundari kofta and Paneer Bhatura, along with a drink menu of beer, wine, and cocktails. Rutba’s 3,000-square-foot was previously home to a Wendy’s and redesigned into a sit-down dining space. It’s now the fourth restaurant in the owners’ impressive portfolio, which they’ve been successfully building since the ‘90s. (Richmond BizSense)
We love a good mashup. As part of the 68th Festival of Arts, musical Once on This Island is returning to Dogwood Dell after having been last staged at the amphitheater in 2001. The show blends elements of The Little Mermaid and Romeo & Juliet, exploring themes of community, love, sacrifice, race, and class through a Caribbean lens. Directed by Desirée Dabney, head of musical theatre at VCU, the all-Black production team and majority-Black cast reflect the show’s cultural roots, and Desirée, who previously helped create a virtual version during the pandemic, sees this live production as both a dream realized and a timely message of resilience. Tix are free (!!), and you can catch performances on August 8, 10, 15, and 17. (Richmond magazine)
Order those kimchi fries while you still can. Nokoribi will finish out its residency at The Veil Brewing Co.’s Scott’s Addition space on Tuesday, August 19. While the Japanese-inspired eatery has had a successful run serving bar-meets-street food, a new, permanent, TBA food concept is in the works. In the meantime, On the Grill RVA will step in for a temp residency beginning August 20. (Instagram)
A time and space for public reflection: The Jefferson Davis statue, once toppled during protests and later displayed at The Valentine, is soon heading to LA to become part of an art exhibition, Monuments, at MOCA Geffen. Opening this October and running through next May, the exhibition curates decommissioned monuments and contemporary artworks that explore American history and identity. The Valentine’s director, Bill Martin, sees the loan as a culmination of years of work examining the Lost Cause narrative and a final opp for public reflection. The display will also feature other Richmond Confederate monuments and a reworked version of Charlottesville’s Robert E. Lee statue. (Style Weekly)
Green means go(od)! There’s a new 6.1-acre public park coming to Tuckahoe. Henrico County is preserving an expansive green space next to Maybeury Elementary School and the Tuckahoe YMCA — previously considered for residential or assisted living development — thanks to strong community support, including a petition with over 400 signatures. Planned features for the park include walking trails, a playground, restrooms, sports fields, and maybe some fitness equipment. Community input will further shape the final design, with upcoming public meetings on the schedj. (WWBT)
Attn, sweet tooths (*teeth?): California-based Tifa is getting set to open its first Virginia location at Westchester Commons in Chesterfield. Known for gelato, chocolate, coffee, and other desserts like cookies and lemon bars, Tifa has around a dozen shops, mainly in California, with others in Texas, North Carolina, and Arizona. While the opening date and franchisee details haven’t been disclosed, the company's website lists a Midlo location as ~coming soon.~ (Richmond BizSense)
Look up for the Power Tower. A nearly 34-foot-tall LED display is being installed at the in-progress Richmond Flying Squirrels stadium. Designed to enhance the fan experience, the tower will showcase game info and entertainment throughout events and will feature an accessibility lift on the concourse side, allowing fans with disabilities to access the left-field hospitality areas. The landmark’s CareScout Power Tower name comes from a sponsorship with CareScout, a subsidiary of Genworth Financial, in partnership with CarMax Park. (12 On Your Side)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
🫶Barstool’s Kate Mannion feels the way we feel about Richmond. (Instagram)
🥬The Hanover Market recently opened and now sets up shop at 8800 Whitewater Farm Rd every Wednesday from 4 - 7 pm, doling out fresh produce, pastured meats, local dairy, sourdough, and more. (Instagram)
Image Source: Pizza Bones
Weekly Giveaway
Pizza Bones
Look, we’ve already made it to Wednesday, but this week is still giving a lot of Monday energy, so we have to assume you — like us — could use a pizza night.
This week, we’re giving away 25 bucks to Pizza Bones! You already know how we feel about this Church Hill gem. (And if you don’t, allow us to remind you of our ode to Pizza Bones.)
To enter, tell us: What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this week so far?
Last week: Congratulations to last edition’s winner, Megan G., for winning the Linked RVA giveaway!
Image Source: Bugle Call Coffee
Member Perks
Bugle Call Coffee
Bugle Call Coffee comes to us from three Richmond natives and childhood friends who decided to take the plunge together and open their own coffee roastery in August of 2019. Going six years stong this month, the team is proud to be part of the rich coffee community in Richmond and to operate New Kent County's first coffee roastery.
As a member of The Richmond Experience, you get 20% off your first order and 10% off your ticket to the spot’s very own class, Home Barista 101. Use code RVAX at checkout!
New + Trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 8 new members this week: Gabbie S., Cameron B., Brittany H., Donna S., Jeremy M., Judy L., Stephanie W., and Yaw A., 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 368 of The Weekly Insider.
Later, gator!
- The Richmond Experience
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