Ed 395: Survivor 50 Watch Party, Public Bathroom App, Shopping Spree Funds
Powered by VCU Athletics — the first annual Stronger Together Game happens tonight, Wednesday, February 25, at 6 pm! Watch VCU Women's Basketball take on La Salle and help us honor teachers, educators, healthcare workers, first responders, social workers, veterans, active duty military, and stay-at-home parents. Snag your tickets here!
Hi!
Last week, I was clearing out my camera roll when I happened upon a screenshot of my first Insider intro. It went live right around the end of February 2022! I can’t believe this month marks four years of sending you a little note like this every Wednesday morn. That’s like a bachelor’s degree’s worth of time in writing chatty newsletters (and, you know, city guides and all that other fun stuff, too). Except in the case of this milestone, I didn’t have to sit through a single Intro to Geology class. Which means I will gladly go for my PhD and continue my education here for another four years *at LEAST* 🫡 I’m really losing the plot with this analogy, huh? The point is: I had 10,000 photos on my phone, and now I don’t, okay?
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including a to-do at The Tin Pan, Richmond Poetry Fest, RIC no-fly days, and more.
PODCAST
WEATHER
Wednesday: Partly cloudy; high of 58°, low of 46°
Thursday: Rain; high of 54°, low of 35°
Friday: Showers in the morn; high of 52°, low of 40°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 6 - 8 pm: VCU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS LA SALLE
Thursday, 7 - 11:30 pm: A SHOT TO BEAT CANCER
Friday, 6:30 - 7:30 pm: ARTIST CONVERSATION: DERRICK ADAMS AND VALERIE CASSEL OLIVER
CITY GUIDES
1. THINGS WE’RE WAY LOVING RIGHT NOW
2. 12+ MARGARITAS TO TRY IN RICHMOND
3. ACTIONABLE WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR BLACK COMMUNITY, NOW & ALWAYS
Image Source: Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop: Okay, so you probably already do know this Richmonder, but in case you didn’t know this tidbit, Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop (along with the folks behind SuRVAvor!) hosts Survivor watch parties every Wednesday during each season. *Tonight* kicks off SEASON 50 (🤯), and as a heads-up, on March 25, the show’s first winner, Richard Hatch, and one of the show’s most notorious villains Jonny Fairplay will be hangin’ at the brewery for showtime, too. Worth ~getting a Northern Lights~ for? Peep more deets here!
THE LATEST:
Image Source: Eazzy Burger
Image Source: The Tin Pan
Image Source: @catchingpinecones
Image Source: Visual Arts Center of Richmond
SOCIAL NEWS
Between the ANTM doc and LIB S10, put some other flicks on your watchlist. The 14th Annual Richmond Environmental Film Festival runs through March 7, featuring free, volunteer-organized screenings focused on environmental issues affecting the local community, region, and planet. You can catch showings and filmmaker discussions at venues across Richmond, and some films particularly worth noting include Little Brown Bird; Reviving the Forgotten River; Last Wild Herd; Plastics People: Hidden Crisis of Microplastics; Undammed; and Out There: A National Parks Story; along with the Virginia Environmental Film Contest winner, Catching Pinecones. (Richmond Environmental Film Festival)
Like we don’t know ball. The A-10 Women's Basketball Championship is happening March 4 through 8, marking the tournament’s 50th anniversary and coinciding with International Women’s Day. On Saturday, March 7, an International Women’s Day Brunch and panel, from 9:30 to 10:45 am, will feature local women leaders (including yours truly 💁♀️) in a conversation-focused event celebrating legacy and future impact. Ahead of that, there’s the Chamber on the Courts networking event with ChamberRVA, Chesterfield Chamber, and Hanover Chamber on Thursday, and a Friday evening activation by TOGETHXR, the org behind Everyone Watches Women’s Sports. The championship game itself happens on Sunday. (Henrico Sports & Events Center)
If you could use a laugh, The Tin Pan is hosting Dulcé Sloan for a performance this Friday, February 27. The seasoned comedian is known for her seven-year run as a correspondent on The Daily Show, voice work on animated series The Great North, appearing on Netflix’s Verified Stand-Up, and for her 2024 memoir Hello, Friends! Attendees can expect her set to blend observations on everyday life, relationships, and social and political issues. (Richmond magazine)
When you gotta go, you gotta go. Local Lance Song has created an app that maps public bathrooms and porta-potties in Richmond and around the world using OpenStreetMap data and crowdsourced user input, allowing people to add locations, reviews, and details like accessibility, cleanliness, and amenities. As an avid runner, Lance has experienced his fair share of bathroom emergencies on early morning runs and developed PortaDash when he realized other runners, families with young children, and folks who spend long hours on the road have more than likely had a need for such a service. Launched in late 2025, PortaDash has grown through word of mouth and serves a diverse user base, while also helping normalize convos about bathroom needs. (Style Weekly)
While we’re (kind of) on the topic, March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and Hitting Cancer Below the Belt wants to raise awareness about the disease. The local non-profit works to prevent colorectal cancer through education, early detection, and improved access to screenings, offering free screening kits for uninsured and under-insured Virginians, nutrition and wellness programs, and community outreach. With colorectal cancer becoming the leading cancer killer of adults under 50 — with many diagnoses occurring late due to lack of awareness — HCB2’s mission is especially urgent, so let this serve as your reminder to lean on this resource if you or someone you know could use it. (Hitting Cancer Below the Belt)
Snaps for this. The 4th Annual Richmond Poetry Fest is happening at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. On April 10 and 11, lit lovers will be treated to performances by Remica Bingham-Risher, Martheaus Perkins, Joanna Lee, Monica Prince, Devon Walker-Figueroa, Roscoe Burnems, Fairouz Bsharat, Dreia Burton, Benji Wilson, and other poets. In celebration of National Poetry Month, the festival will also offer pay-what-you-will pre-fest poetry workshops for writers of all experience levels, with registration open online here, at VisArts, or through branches of the Richmond Public Library. (Visual Arts Center of Richmond)
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will officially be showing off an updated look at the end of May, following a two-year expansion that has nearly doubled the Conservatory, added 7.5 acres of new gardens, and incorporated an expanded Wick Lake into the visitor experience. Look for a permanent butterfly house (!!), Mediterranean and desert climate exhibits, and lots more. The Kroger Community Kitchen Garden will also grow, increasing produce donations to Feed More through expanded demonstration gardens and plantings. This project has been designed to support community connection, wellness, education, and environmental resilience while accommodating growing visitation and programming. (Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden)
You’ve got mail (?) Several Central Virginia residents have reported significant delays in receiving FedEx packages, with some saying deliveries arrived weeks late or in damaged condition. Recent complaints shared on social media included a Chesterfield County resident who waited weeks for dog food and others who said packages sat at the South Chesterfield facility despite being marked “out for delivery,” with Dinwiddie County deliveries described as particularly problematic. FedEx has chimed in on the issue, noting that recent winter weather caused disruptions but emphasized that safety and service remain priorities and that normal operations have now been restored. (WRIC)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
😏 In solidarity with various airports worldwide, Richmond International Airport announced that it will refuse to operate flights on February 29, 30, and 31. (Instagram)
📸 On March 1, Lindsey Martin Photography is offering a These are the Days workshop for moms who want some tips and tricks from a profesh for confidently snapping pics of their kiddos and more. (Instagram)
🍔 ICYMI, Eazzy Burger recently noted a significant dip in sales and is hoping to see some friendly faces pop over for a bite to give things a boost. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Image Source: Monkee’s of Richmond
Weekly Giveaway
Monkee’s of Richmond
This fresh new shop in Carytown is bursting with an extensive selection of designer boutique-style shoes, clothing, and accessories that are hand-picked seasonally to mirror current trends and that classic Southern style. Make plans to head over and do a little spring wardrobe refresh — on us!
This week, we’re teaming up with Monkee’s of Richmond to give away a $200 gift card to the shop! We’re already *extremely* jealous of your haul.
To enter, tell us: If you could see one movie again for the first time, what would it be?
Last week: Congratulations to last edition’s winner, Hanna K, for winning the Virginia Wine Expo giveaway!
Image Source: The Aesthetic Era
Member Perks
The Aesthetic Era
The Aesthetic Era believes that true beauty starts from within. Its mission is to empower and uplift you as you take control of your aesthetic journey. It’s not just here to offer treatments; it’s here to guide you every step of the way with warmth, kindness, and a touch of humor.
As a member of The Richmond Experience, you get the option for a complimentary anti-aging skincare kit with your first Botox treatment, a complimentary medical-grade skincare product with your first facial, or a complimentary skin consultation and personalized treatment plan! Just let the front desk know you’re an RVAx member when you book.
New + Trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
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Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 8 new members this week: Ayah D, Gregory P, Alex M, Genie H, Olivia B, Rowland W, Anne W, and Lillian H, 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 395 of The Weekly Insider.
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The Richmond Experience
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