Ed 393: Camp Friendship, Postcard Mural, Vicious Biscuit
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Hello!
As you may have seen on social media this week, we’ve recently acquired ownership of RVA Dine & Drink, ow! The buzzy Facebook group was originally started during the pandemic by Big Spoon Co founder Kevin Clay to support the local food and drink scene, and it’s since grown into a community of more than 164,000 members exchanging all kinds of delish recs.
We’ll continue to run it as a well-moderated and welcoming space for Richmonders to connect, discover new favorites, and ofc, highlight *even more* of the city’s must-tries. So… see you over there? 👀
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including a Forever 21 dress code, pizza and jewelry, a hidden idol, and more.
PODCAST
WEATHER
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy; high of 59°, low of 29°
Thursday: Partly cloudy; high of 47°, low of 24°
Friday: Mostly cloudy; high of 46°, low of 23°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 7 - 9 pm: SINGLES VALENTINE’S MIXER
Thursday, 4 - 7 pm: DOG KISSING BOOTH
Friday, 6 - 10 pm: GALENTINE’S SHINDIG
CITY GUIDES
1. LEVEL UP YOUR DATE NIGHT AT THESE 6 SPOTS
Image Source: New England Patriots
RICHMONDER(S) TO KNOW
Morgan Moses & TreVeyon Henderson: The Patriots didn’t win the Lombardy Trophy on Sunday, but a couple of the team’s players did win our hearts with a wholesome exchange ahead of game time. Offensive tackle and Meadowbrook High School alum Morgan Moses crashed running back and Hopewell High School alum TreVeyon Henderson’s Super Bowl opening night interview to review some stats from their pre-profesh football days.
THE LATEST:
Image Source: Vicious Biscuit
Image Source: Blue Bee Cider
Image Source: @thebyrdrva
Image Source: Camp Friendship
SOCIAL NEWS
This is all very Hallie and Annie coded. As seen on our own Explore page, Back to Girlhood Camp is inviting women to unplug and relive classic summer camp fun during a three-day retreat scheduled for September 25 through 27 at Camp Friendship in Palmyra, Virginia. Designed as a women-only experience, the camp blends nostalgia and connection with activities like archery, swimming, and arts and crafts, creating space to reconnect with nature, meet new buds, and make lasting memories. Registration opens this Friday, February 13, with early bird specials available. (Instagram)
Look for pies and pieces. A new café and jewelry shop hybrid called Mettle Finery and Café is set to open May 1 in Jackson Ward. The local couple behind the project, Ginny Benton and Rob Stigall, have plans to combine Ginny’s custom jewelry business, Ginny Benton Jewelry, with Rob’s Rest Pizza, a pop-up known for Italian-inspired pizzas served at local breweries and events. Mettle will offer espresso, coffee, Italian dishes, desserts, and signature pizzas, while the jewelry side will provide custom fine jewelry in an intimate setting designed around exposed brick and Art Nouveau deets. The opening coincides with the First Fridays art walk and reflects broader investment activity along Brook Rd, including planned apartment redevelopment nearby and proposed outdoor dining expansions from other local businesses. (Richmond BizSense)
Wait, is this f***ing play about us? Central Virginia, and the Richmond region in partic, has seen a significant population surge driven largely by the lasting impact of remote and hybrid work, which has enabled professionals to relocate from higher-cost markets in search of affordability and quality of life. According to University of Virginia demographics expert Hamilton Lombard, the region added nearly 56,000 people over the past four years — a generational milestone fueled primarily by millennials ages 25 to 44 — as newcomers arrive from Northern Virginia and out of state, especially Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, California, and New York. Rising housing costs within the Richmond metro have also pushed growth into surrounding counties such as New Kent, Goochland, and Louisa, reshaping formerly slower-growing rural areas. Folks with a finger on the pulse of the situation say the migration is reinforced by Richmond’s lifestyle amenities, strategic location, and expanding job base. (Richmond magazine)
Wish this were anywhere. After the fan-favorite Richmond postcard mural was removed in early 2025, its absence sparked widespread disappointment from residents who had come to see it as a symbol of the city’s identity. Now, the original artists are hoping to bring the mural back with an updated design that reflects Richmond’s diversity, history, parks, and community spirit. To make that happen, they’re seeking a highly visible, publicly accessible wall large enough to support the iconic postcard-style format, with a commitment from the property owner to keep the mural in place for at least five years. (Instagram)
It’s high time we all get on the same page here. Virginia’s effort to establish a regulated adult-use cannabis market has hit a contentious moment after surprise amendments to SB542 introduced by State Senator Scott Surovell expanded penalties for unlicensed cannabis activity, triggering backlash from lawmakers and advocacy groups. Critics, including the bill’s original patron Senator Lashrecse Aird, argue the changes undermine years of negotiations aimed at reducing racial disparities and avoiding renewed criminalization following legalization in 2021. The amended framework tightens penalties for consumers, youth, distributors, cultivators, and transporters operating outside the licensed system, in some cases elevating offenses to felonies with lengthy prison sentences. While supporters say stricter penalties are needed to incentivize participation in a legal market, opponents say the amendments move Virginia backward and disproportionately harm Black, low-income, and marginalized communities. In response, a coalition led by Marijuana Justice has urged the Senate Finance Committee to reject the amendments entirely and restore the bill’s original intent to prioritize equitable regulation over punishment. (RVA Mag)
Starting Black History Month off on the right foot, thousands of people gathered in and around Richmond last week to walk alongside Buddhist monks during their Walk for Peace, an experience that prompted reflection on what it means to choose peace in moments shaped by anger, injustice, and grief. In an essay connecting the monks’ journey to Richmond’s deep Black civil rights history, Style Weekly contributor Leah Small noticed parallels between the monks’ quiet persistence and leaders like Carl Winfield, a Petersburg native who helped organize peaceful marches alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Despite living through global conflict, racial injustice, and political division, the walk served as a reminder that peace is not passive or submissive, but an intentional and powerful act rooted in collective action, small human kindnesses, and a long legacy of Black and brown communities choosing dignity and calm even when faced with systemic harm. (Style Weekly)
This is all we really knead. Vicious Biscuit is expanding into Virginia for the first time with a flagship Richmond location in the Stony Point Shopping Center. The 3,678-square-foot space will feature the fast-casual brunch spot’s classic set-up, including made-to-order biscuit entrées, Southern-inspired sides, and its signature Jam Bar with house-made jams and butters. We’ll be starting there, personally. (Retail & Restaurant Facility Business)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
🔥 The National Survivor 50 Challenge has turned all of America into an epic Survivor challenge. Fans are on the hunt for one idol hidden in each state, and this clue led Richmonders to The Byrd Theatre earlier this week, where Virginia's Survivor 50 Challenge idol was hiding. (Instagram)
👹 We love the latest installment of The Valentine’s Collection Connections series, which tells the story of the Where the Wild Things Are x Ukrop’s signage. (Instagram)
🥂 Cheers is hosting its second birthday party at Blue Bee Cider on February 28, and you’re invited — and expected to wear your Forever 21 finest. (Instagram)
Image Source: Triple Crossing Beer
Weekly Giveaway
Skip the Small Talk
Since it’s the season of love and all, it’s an especially great time to work on those communication skills, and what better way than a yap sesh with lots of other Richmonders? Popping up in 20 cities across the US, Skip the Small Talk helps folks meet new people and make friends everywhere they go, and it’s hosting a couple meet-and-greet opps in RVA over the next month.
This week, we’re reserving a spot for you at the next in-person Skip the Small Talk event! Happening Monday, March 9, from 7 to 9 pm, at Triple Crossing Beer - Fulton.
To enter, tell us: Who are Cupid’s parents, according to Roman mythology?
Last week: Congratulations to last edition’s winner, An P, for winning the For the Love of Chocolate giveaway!
Image Source: Nouveau Provisions
Member Perks
Nouveau Provisions
TBH, in our book, there are few things more romantic than a pizza-and-wine pairing, so if you’re still looking for something to do to celebrate your pals, gals, or Vals this week, we suggest you head to Nouveau Provisions. The Carytown wine bar has everything you need for a cute and cozy night out.
As a member of The Richmond Experience, you get 10% off your bill! Just tell them at checkout you’re a member.
Note: This perk does not apply to happy hour pricing.
New + Trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 16 new members this week: Barbara R., Brij M., Tiffany F., Lauren S., Nedra S., Tia B., Brooke B., Kate D., Bryan M., Kennsel A., Lani S., Madhu K., Sarah M., Leslie B., Jackson S., and Daniel M., 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 393 of The Weekly Insider.
XOXO!
-The Richmond Experience
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