Ed 411: Fourth of July Plans, Hat-Making, Bridal Sample Sale
Powered by Virginia Museum of Fine Arts — mark your calendar for a spectacular cultural celebration of the special exhibition India's Great Mughals: Art, Power & Opulence, happening July 25 and featuring music, dancing, art, light fare, and drinks. Your ticket in is here!
Image Source: The Richmond Experience
Hi there 💙
As maybe you’ve noticed, we’ve been a little quieter here and there recently, and with that, I wanted to fill you in on a personal update.
A few weeks ago, my dad passed away after a brief and aggressive battle with cancer. It’s been a quite shocking first half of the year altogether since his diagnosis, and Paige and I have been working to adjust my schedule while each maintaining our day-to-day as best we can. Still, we’re a very small team over here, so we majorly appreciate your grace and support as we continue to navigate owning a small business in good times and in (extremely) bad.
My dad was a true salt-of-the-earth, classic type of guy. He loved his family, loved baseball, and loved American history, and while I’m… well… in the fiery depths of hell right now, I have taken *some* comfort in realizing that I’m also surrounded by so many things he loved.
“Have you gotten to visit the new ballpark, yet?” he asked me recently. He’ll be on my mind at any Squirrels games ahead.
I never got to take him to Hollywood Cemetery, but whenever I go, I think, “My dad would love it here.” He’ll be on my mind the next time(s) I’m taking in a quiet moment or five near Presidents Circle.
We’d drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains on the way to JMU in my undergrad years, and he’d always say the view was like sitting in God’s lap. He’ll even be on my mind when we’re roadtripping northwest for a day of peach-picking.
He’ll be on my mind always.
Some days, I just feel like sobbing from dawn until dusk. But I know he’d want me to get back to a routine, get back to writing. I can clearly hear him quoting A League of Their Own: “Are you crying? Are you crying? There's no crying! There's no crying in baseball!”
Fine, fine, no crying in baseball. Then again… we’re talking *inside* baseball — and we do love a good cry here.
Keep scrolling for RVA’s latest social news, including a pizza-coffee shop, the Olympics of cheesemongering, lesser-known museums, and more.
PODCAST
WEATHER
Wednesday: Mostly sunny; high of 85°, low of 62°
Thursday: Mostly sunny; high of 89°, low of 68°
Friday: Afternoon thundershowers; high of 92°, low of 71°
HAPPENINGS
Wednesday, 12 - 1 pm: FROZEN TREATS, LIVE BEATS
Thursday, 6 - 9:30 pm: VMHC ILLUMINATION KICKOFF
Friday, 5 - 8 pm: WALK THE BLOCK
CITY GUIDES
1. YOUR GUIDE TO FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND IN RICHMOND
Image Source: Truckle Cheesemongers
RICHMONDER TO KNOW
Truckle Cheesemongers: Richmond’s favorite cheese bar is heading to New York this month to compete in the Cheesemonger Invitational, an annual competition often described as the Olympics of cheesemongering — go red, white, and bleu! The group will be one of a select few cheesemongers competing against peers from across North America for the title of Big Cheese. (We’re editorializing here, but you know what we mean.)
THE LATEST
Image Source: Shyndigz
Image Source: North End Juice Co
Image Source: Elsie Frieda
Image Source: White Magnolia Bridal
SOCIAL NEWS
Green space incoming. The final privately owned parcel on Mayo’s Island has been acquired by the Capital Region Land Conservancy, clearing the way for the island to eventually become a fully unified public park. The quarter-acre property includes a former service station building dating back to 1933 that could play a role in future park operations, educational programming, public art, concessions or community events. City leaders and conservation officials say the acquisition closes a key gap in the center of the planned park and supports Richmond’s long-term vision for expanded public access to the James River. (Richmond BizSense)
Hats off. Elsie Frieda’s first custom hat-making experience is happening today, June 24, giving attendees the chance to design a personalized hat from start to finish. Participants will choose from a variety of paracord colors, beads, and custom patches before adding optional hand-embroidered initials for a unique finishing touch. To boot, you’ll also get champagne throughout the session. (Instagram)
Attn, brides-to-be: You can score major savings at White Magnolia Richmond’s annual sample sale this Friday, June 26, where select designer gowns will be priced at $1,000 or less — up to 90% off their original cost. The event is the boutique’s only walk-in day of the year, with first-come, first-served appointments that include time to browse and try on a curated selection of wedding dresses in a variety of styles. It’s a rare opp for shoppers to find a designer gown at a steep discount while exploring options from the salon’s collection. (Press Release)
Get cultured. Imagine: Multicultural Fest, a free event happening this Saturday, June 27, at Richmond Raceway, celebrates the region’s immigrant communities through food, music, performances, and cultural displays. Chef Hamidullah Noori of Mantu Market talked with Style Weekly about how Afghan hospitality, community service, and his journey from Afghanistan to Richmond have shaped his business and life in the US. He and other festival vendors and orgs emphasize how food serves as a bridge between cultures, preserving heritage while introducing Richmonders to traditions from around the world, and we think you’d be hard-pressed to find a better thing to celebrate. (Style Weekly)
The kids are all right. Nearly 500 students from Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield helped create Building a City: Richmond’s Landmarks, a new exhibition now on display at The Valentine. Throughout the school year, students researched some of Richmond’s most significant buildings, built detailed models, and wrote their own exhibit labels explaining each landmark’s history and impact. The exhibition features 19 student-created models representing sites like Main Street Station, Maymont Mansion, St. John’s Church, and the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site. Make plans to take it in sometime between now and May 2027. (Richmond Family Magazine)
Speaking of museums, with these sweaty temps recently, we’re referencing The Richmonder’s write-up about some lesser-known, air-conditioned hot spots. The Richmond Railroad Museum, the Keystone Truck & Tractor Museum, Beth Ahabah Museum & Archives, and the Anderson Gallery each offer a distinct perspective that goes beyond traditional museum experiences, and each spot can be just as rewarding for both locals and visitors looking to learn something new. Stay cool this summer and check ‘em out. (The Richmonder)
This could be dangerous. Danger Pie has announced plans to launch an extended residency at Blanchard’s Morris St location in the Fan. The coffee shop will continue operating as usual during its regular hours, while Danger Pie will make pizzas during the hours the coffee shop is closed. Look for the pizza operation to be open a few days each week, initially, offering a limited menu of whole pies available for takeout only. (Instagram)
Image Source: The Mayor
Weekly Giveaway
The Mayor: Sausage Packs
This small-batch sausage co focuses on offering seasonal and classic links, and right now especially, what’s more mouth-watering than a festive spread of hot dogs, sausages, bratwursts, and then some?
This week, we’re giving away two sausage packs from The Mayor! We place the preorder, you pick ‘em up in Carytown, just in time for your Independence Day plans.
To enter, tell us: According to the National Retail Federation, how much money are people expected to pay, on average, for the food for their 4th of July bash this year?
Last week: Congratulations to last edition’s winner, Alexandra K, for winning the Ardent Craft Ales giveaway!
Image Source: Vita Pure
Member Perks
Vita Pure
Already making plans for your bod’s factory reset needs come July 6th? Think of Vita Pure. Central Virginia’s leader in premier wellness and med-spa solutions has a range of quality offerings, including intravenous (IV) therapies, intramuscular (IM) shots, and more.
As a member of The Richmond Experience, you get 25% off any Vitamin IV Therapies or Vitamin IM Shots! Just use code RVAX25 at checkout.
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SAVE THE DATE
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Hey, new members!
We’d like to welcome 6 new members this week: Colleen S, Maureen H, Ella R, Alisha H, Adrienne M, and Macee D, 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 411 of The Weekly Insider.
The horrors persist, but so do we 😘
- The Richmond Experience
Thank you to Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for powering this edition of The Weekly Insider from The Richmond Experience!
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