Ed 400: Tulipmania, Mindful Mending, Brunch Spot
Powered by Beauvine Burger Concept — it’s patio season, and Beauvine Burger Concept has the perfect outdoor space *and* happy hour deals to enjoy every bit of it. Toast to this spring weather ASAP and start making plans here!
Featured Image of the Week by: @kelseyheintzistyping
Rabbit rabbit!
I, for one, am very thankful for a fresh month. March really was not going my way, and right as it came to a close earlier this week, I had to say goodbye to my 15-year-old feline friend, Fuzz. His health had taken a particularly bad turn, and by Sunday morning, it was time.
Yes, my eyes are still puffy from crying for days on end, but with all this very un-fun stuff happening behind the scenes, I need to take a moment — in front of the scenes — to sing the praises of River City Vet Hospital. My pets have been RCVH patients for as long as I’ve lived in Richmond, and that animal hospital is truly the best in the pet healthcare biz, if you ask me. TBH, I might even say it’s the best in healthcare overall — I’d get my annual exams there if it were socially acceptable. From prescribing meds that helped Fuzz’s routine visits feel less Linda Blair in The Exorcist to supporting us with resources and good old-fashioned compassion during his final days, the RCVH staff has always made me feel reassured in one way or another. I truly cannot recommend them enough.
I also can’t recommend extra head-scratches for your furry friends enough. Please give out a few bonus pats in Fuzz’s memory this week. Just two or three should do the trick — he was the sweet-and-sour type.
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including pie school, new coffee shops, miniature craftsmanship, and more.
PODCAST
WEATHER
Wednesday: Partly cloudy; high of 87°, low of 62°
Thursday: Partly cloudy; high of 82°, low of 60°
Friday: Partly cloudy; high of 81°, low of 63°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 6 - 6:45 pm: TULIPMANIA GARDEN TOUR
Thursday, 6 - 8 pm: BEER & CHEESE CLASS
Friday, 5 - 8 pm: FIRST FRIDAYS ARTWALK
CITY GUIDES
1. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CARMAX PARK
2. WHY CARYTOWN IS *STILL* THE CHEAT CODE TO A MILLION-DOLLAR DATE
Image Source Top Stitch Mending
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
Top Stitch Mending: You’ve seen us talk about this low-waste studio, where owner Lisa Hutchinson focuses on mindful mending, clothing repair, and sewing lessons — but with Earth Day right around the corner, we thought the Church Hill gem was due for another mention. As your spring calendar continues to fill up, make sure you schedule some decompression time with a group sewing class, like Intro to Sewing, How to Hem, and lots more.
THE LATEST:
Image Source: Pizza Bones
Image Source: Pi’s Coffee
Image Source: Catalone Design Co
Image Source: Midlothian Book Exchange
SOCIAL NEWS
You want a piece of this? Longtime graphic designer Lisa Catalone Castro, who has run Catalone Design Co since 1997, also channels her artistic precision into intricately decorated custom pies through her side business and pie school, Lisa Makes Pie. You might’ve seen her sweet treats highlighted on Insta or elsewhere for neighborhood spots like Morty’s Market & Deli, Ruby Scoops, ILYSM Books, and Julio’s Bagels. Now she’s growing her intimate pie school, hosting classes of about eight students that include brunch, hands-on instruction in designing sweet or savory pies, tastings and a relaxed, noncompetitive atmosphere focused on feeling the dough and enjoying the process. Her next class happens May 17 at Ninja Kombucha. (Style Weekly)
There has never been a sadness that can't be cured by breakfast food. The former Garden Grove Brewing space is now home to Brunchella Brunch & Coffee House. With plans for an April debut, the spot will be a counter-service café serving American- and Mediterranean-inspired brunch dishes, pastries, cakes, and croissants, along with a full coffee bar featuring beans sourced from Italy and a drink menu that includes matcha, mocktails, smoothies, and teas. (Richmond BizSense)
The perked us up. Peaberry is the newest venture from Alexa Schuett, who also owns fan faves Riverbend Roastery, Liberty Public House, and Chimborazo Sandwich Shoppe. The coffee shop just opened in Church Hill North after a neighbor encouraged her to bring quality coffee to the area. Now that lucky neighbor and you can pop by for house coffees with a darker roast profile, espresso drinks, nitro, matcha, tea, and lemonade, along with baked goods from Riverbend and (coming soon!) breads from Lyon Bakery. (Instagram)
In more buzzy news, after building a following through pop-ups, farmers markets, and music events, Pi’s Coffee is establishing a brick-and-mortar space downtown near VCU. The café will serve Indian-inspired drinks made exclusively with beans sourced from Indian farms, alongside breakfast and street food-inspired dishes such as poha bowls, Bombay paninis, paniyaram, and samosas. Along with all of that, you can also plan to see signature bevs like gulab jamun and thundai lattes, Kashmiri chai, rose and butterfly pea flower lemonades, mango lassis, lychee No-Jitos, and other nonalcoholic sips. (Richmond magazine)
FYI, the annual Lebanese Food Festival is changing dates for the first time in 40 years due to the extensive Sadler Rd realignment and widening project, which has limited access to St. Anthony’s Church, the festival’s longtime host site. Typically held the weekend after Mother’s Day, the event will instead take place September 11 to 13, as construction has made navigating the area via Nuckols Rd and Broad St difficult and temporarily eliminated entrances to the site. Organizers say the festival draws more than 40,000 attendees each year and announced the four-month delay early so visitors can adjust their plans, adding that county officials have assured them the relevant roadwork will be completed in time for the new end-of-summer dates. (WTVR)
We’d love to celebrate with some yellow sauce. After opening seven Chicken Fiestas around town, owner Harold Vega is developing a 114-acre ranch and event venue in Varina. Inspired by a ranch he owns in Colombia, the project will include a reservation-only weekend steakhouse, an equestrian center with a riding ring, a 3,500-square-foot barn housing horses and other animals, and event space for weddings and other gatherings. Harold is investing about $2 mil in the project overall and plans to have the space open to the public Thursdays through Sundays for dining and horseback riding opps. The ranch, which will operate under a TBD name that may tie into the Chicken Fiesta brand, is expected to be completed in about two years. (Richmond BizSense)
If you’re looking for your next good read, The Midlothian Book Exchange is celebrating 40 years as a community staple and probably has a fit. Mother-daughter duo Dorryce Rudd and Caroline Davidson purchased the store in July 2020 to prevent it from being dismantled or moved online during the pandemic, but it was founded in 1986 by Maude Kerby and later run by her daughter, Martha Graydon. The shop is known for its 175,000-book inventory and its longstanding exchange model, where books are sold at half the cover price and trade-ins earn store credit for additional savings. Under its new ownership, the store has expanded its community presence with a membership program, anniversary events, reading challenges, and special promotions, while maintaining its in-person-only, community-focused approach and planning to add a larger reading room to accommodate growing book clubs and events. (Richmond magazine)
MORE LINKS YOU’LL WANT TO CLICK
🍕 Starting today, April 1, Pizza Bones is open later — until 10 pm, to be exact. (Instagram)
✂️ We’re (still) obsessed with The Valentine’s Collections Connections series. (Instagram)
🛋️ Jardin has made some cozy updates to the Salon, including couches, coffee tables, and arm chairs. (Instagram)
Image Source: Blanchard’s Coffee
Weekly Giveaway
Blanchard’s Coffee
ICYMI, this is our 🎉 400th 🎉 edition of The Weekly Insider, which calls for a little somethin’ to go with your newsletter-reading.
This week, we’re giving away a $10 Blanchard’s Coffee gift card to TEN members! Thank you for reading along with us here 🫶
To enter, tell us: What do you want to see us do more of in the *next* 400 editions of the Insider (or elsewhere)?
Image Source: SprayRVA
Member Perks
SprayRVA
The pollen is doing the most out there right now, and if your car could use some lather, rinse, repeat action, SprayRVA can help. You choose the time and place, and the mobile car wash and detailing service will make your car look and feel brand new.
As a member of The Richmond Experience, you get 10% off any service! Use code RVAX10 when you book.
New + Trending from RVAx
SAVE THE DATE
👋
Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 3 new members this week: Barry H, Andre K, and Eric G, 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 400 (🥳) of The Weekly Insider.
Have a bee-utiful day 🐝
- The Richmond Experience
Thank you to Beauvine Burger Concept for powering this edition of The Weekly Insider from The Richmond Experience!
OUR LOCAL PARTNERS
