Ed 383: Scavenger Hunt, Reigning Bagels, Tree Lighting
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Hi!
With Thanksgiving happening next week (how??), we’re getting ready to be OOOish. We’re still planning to fire off The Weekender and plenty of city guides this week and next, but our last edition of The Weekly Insider (this one!) and our last episode of The Chatter (this Friday!) before December rolls in are wrapped.
Not to worry: We’ve got a stacked Event Calendar for you and yours to ref over the coming days, and you’ll catch us out and about in between bites of pumpkin pie. For now, snuggle in for some potential conversation starters down below, and enjoy your friends, family, and festivities!
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including ceramics for sale, a baseball and softball training facility, a brewery ownership change, and more.
PODCAST
WEATHER
Wednesday: Mostly sunny; high of 60°, low of 43°
Thursday: Cloudy; high of 55°, low of 46°
Friday: Morning showers; high of 62°, low of 54°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 7 - 9 pm: BINGO AT BINGO
Thursday, 1 - 5 pm: POCAHONTAS REFRAMED FILM FESTIVAL KICKOFF
Friday, 5:30 - 10 pm: ILLUMINATE LIGHT SHOW & SANTA’S VILLAGE KICKOFF
CITY GUIDES
1. YOUR GUIDE TO RICHMOND’S HOLIDAY POP-UP SCENE
2. 10 THANKSGIVING-STYLE SANDWICHES TO TRY IN RICHMOND
3. RICHMOND SPOTS THAT WILL HELP YOU WITH THANKSGIVING DIN THIS YEAR
Image Source: @bryanbennis
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
Bryan Bennis: In case you missed the image source up top, it features this talented photog who spends much of his time behind the lens capturing gorg angles of our city — and you can purchase his shots, too! How stunning would the Leaves on the River look in your living room? Just saying.
THE LATEST:
Image Source: Baltik’s Bagel
Image Source: Final Gravity Brewing Company
Image Source: Xvelo
Image Source: Craft + Design
SOCIAL NEWS
Here’s a reindeer game to play next month. Local artist Brie Hayden (whom we featured as our Richmonder to Know here!) is launching “With love, December,” a free Richmond-area scavenger hunt open to the public beginning December 1. Designed for trivia lovers and locals who like playing tourist in their own city, the first edition is simple by design, with hopes of building interest for more complex hunts in the future. Anyone interested can email withlovedecember@gmail.com to get in on the fun. (Instagram)
We can’t say we’re surprised. The 2025 New York BagelFest happened last Saturday at Citi Field, and hundreds gathered to taste-test standout bagels from 25 shops across the US and abroad, including our very own Baltik’s Bagel. Judges evaluated entries across multiple categories, with Starship Bagel earning Best Bagel and Best Showmanship, and the new Forest Hill shop securing People’s Choice. Event founder Sam Silverman emphasized the festival’s focus on celebrating the people behind the craft, and it’s safe to say the whole Baltik’s team felt very celebrated, showing off their trophy on Insta with caption, “An incredible day for Baltiks Bagel, our crew, our unbelievable guests, and our beautiful city. After more than 2000 votes cast, Baltiks Bagel won the People’s Choice award at @bagelfest !!!!!” (Craft to Crumb)
If you want to get some holiday shopping in, the Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s 61st Craft + Design show returns to Main Street Station this Friday through Sunday, bringing together more than 170 artists from across the country for a museum-quality showcase featuring mediums such as painting, fiber arts, glass, and ceramics. This year’s featured artist is New Hampshire–based ceramicist Yeonsoo Kim, whose work blends traditional Korean techniques with his love of drawing. Tickets range from $15 for general admission to $65 for early-bird shopping, with Patron’s Pass packages starting at $125, and attendees can shop a wide range of handcrafted items, including jewelry, home decor, clothing, and sculpture. (Richmond magazine)
Very unfortunately, the Arts District’s And Dim Sum has permanently closed after a two-year run, with owner Liz Kincaid citing financial unsustainability and a personal shift toward community-focused work. Liz is grateful for the support the restaurant received and noted that the space at 305 Brook Rd already has a new restaurant lined up to take over. Her restaurant group RVA Hospitality is assisting affected staff with job placement at its other restaurants — Tarrant’s Café, Tarrant’s West, and Bar Solita. (WTVR CBS 6)
We know baseball season just ended, but Cam Morrison, founder and former owner of Mobiledumps, has launched Xvelo Training with partners Brian Rotter and David Johnston, creating a 4,500-square-foot, data-driven baseball and softball training facility near Willow Lawn. Open since September, Xvelo focuses on individualized, metrics-based hitting instruction for athletes ages 8 to 18, using technology like HitTrax to analyze swing mechanics. The facility currently offers hitting lessons led by Director of Player Development and former JMU player Nick Zona, with plans to add pitching instruction, recruiting guidance, and arm care programs. Built for about $100,000, Xvelo emphasizes early, consistent player development in a quiet, small-group environment and offers tiered monthly memberships along with free swing assessments. The venture marks Cam’s first major project since exiting Mobiledumps in 2023 and is now his full-time role as managing partner. (Richmond BizSense)
Bring this feel-good story to your Thanksgiving table next week. Scott Saunders, a devoted Richmond Flying Squirrels fan who is completely blind, experiences every game through detailed play-by-play descriptions provided by Virginia Voice, a Richmond nonprofit that offers audio access to news, cultural events, and live performances. Volunteers like longtime baseball enthusiast Tom Shumate paint vivid verbal pictures of both on-field action and the between-inning antics that sighted fans take for granted, allowing Saunders and others to fully participate in community life. Founded in 1978, Virginia Voice now operates a 24/7 radio reading service, live audio descriptions at arts and cultural events, and a large archive of recorded content, all supported by more than 150 volunteers and a small staff. Serving many older adults who lost vision later in life, the org helps combat isolation, unemployment, and lack of access by providing free receivers, transportation, and tickets through community partners. Despite challenges during the pandemic, Virginia Voice adapted through remote recording and continues to expand its programs, relying entirely on donations to sustain its $450,000 annual budget and driven by a dedicated team committed to inclusion. (Richmond magazine)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
⛸️Stony Point Fashion Park’s annual tree lighting and ice rink opening day happens this weekend. (Facebook)
🚀Starting in January, longtime employee Timmy Miller and his wife, Erin, will take over ownership of Final Gravity Brewing Co. and its adjoining home-brew supply shop, Original Gravity, marking a new chapter for one of the region’s longest-running breweries at 6118 Lakeside Ave. (Richmond BizSense)
Image Source: Zorch Pizza
Weekly Giveaway
Zorch Pizza
Ever since this pizza place announced its plans to expand the Carytown location, we’ve had a hankering. Then again, we pretty much always do. And if you’re like us, you could probably use something quick-and-easy as we dive head-first into Thanksgiving prep.
This week, we’re giving away a $25 gift card to Zorch Pizza! Snag some slices to fuel up for your x-treme mashed potato duties.
To enter, tell us: Would you rather find a person or 1,000 cockroaches living in your attic? (Sorry, but this question alone has kept us up at night since we first heard it and we haven’t been able to decide on an answer. Will certainly be asking at our turkey tables — like, after everyone’s done eating, that is.)
Last week: Congratulations to last edition’s winner, Kevin T., for winning the RVAx merch giveaway!
Image Source: Richmond Photobooth
Member Perks
Richmond Photobooth
If you haven’t been to a wedding with a photobooth, we can tell you from experience it’s def something you’ll want at yours. Celebrating 10 wonderful years partying with the River City, Richmond Photobooth is bringing modern, clean, and meaningful photos to the moments you’ll never forget, letting you experience the big day the way it was meant to be remembered — full of love, joy, and camera flashes.
As a member of The Richmond Experience, you get 5% off the most expensive package available! Tell them when you book you’re an RVAx member.
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SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 18 new members this week: Claire P., Emily K., Jacob R., Chris C., Kaitlyn D., Jisu J., Ashley W., Meghan H., Kaley D., Tess M., James B., Racheli S., Jackson S., Claudia L., Evan A., Amanda A., Jen S., and Melanie W., 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 383 of The Weekly Insider.
Cheers to full bellies and fuller hearts!
- The Richmond Experience
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