vol. 269 / Penny'sExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 269 / PENNY'S
This week's guest editor, Kristen Gardner Beal, co-founded Penny's Wine Shop in Richmond's Jackson Ward, specializing in clean farmed wines and locally sourced food. She's also behind RichWine, a monthly wine club offering curated selections with personalized tasting notes. By day, she consults on business strategy and organizational design. UVA grad, class of 2012.
Her wine journey began during a transformative 2014 trip to South Africa's wine-lands, following stints at the Department of State in Peru and a decade in New York finance as a hedge fund relationship manager. She now shares her passion through customized wine tastings for companies and private gatherings.
When not immersed in the wine world, Kristen is an avid traveler, reader, and enjoys coffee dates and dining experiences with loved ones.
Take it away, Kristen ...
Afterglow Coffee
This worker-owned roaster and café is committed to resource redistribution and mutual aid while serving some of the best coffee in Richmond. I truly believe their vanilla lattes are perfect, and they offer what might be the best matcha on the East Coast. A must-visit for ethical coffee enthusiasts!
Richmond's largest year-round outdoor market offers a wide selection of local produce and handmade goods every Saturday. My perfect weekend morning ritual—grab fresh beets, treat myself to a cronut, enjoy a sausage biscuit, and pick up beautiful flowers for my home!
Vitals:
RVA Big Market / Saturday, May 24 / 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM / Bryan Park, 4308 Hermitage Road
Odd Bird
Need a thoughtful gift or just a little treat for yourself? Odd Bird has you covered. Every item feels personal, intentional, and full of character. I love swinging by Odd Bird to treat myself to a delicious candle, imported chocolate, and a new home good to brighten up my living space.
Vitals:
Odd Bird / Open Thursday - Saturday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Sunday 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM / 320 Brook Road
More From Kristen.
As we round out spring and welcome summer, there's no better time to explore something new in Richmond's wine scene. At Penny's Wine Shop, our new seasonal menu is turning heads—and it's not just the food. We've launched exciting private event packages perfect for engagement parties, birthdays, retirement celebrations, or even your next corporate holiday party. Join us Wednesday through Saturday for dinner or stop by on Saturdays for a daytime wine tasting to see what’s new by the glass!
Looking to bring the wine experience home? RichWine RVA has you covered with our monthly Wine Club! Get four hand-selected bottles delivered to your doorstep every month—each with tasting notes, pairing ideas, and the story behind the wine. It’s the perfect way to sip, learn, and discover new favorites from the comfort of your home.
Whether you're dining out or cozying up in, Richmond has your next great glass of wine waiting. Cheers!
vol. 268 / SlowdowwwnExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 268 / SLOWDOWWWN
This week's guest editor, Brandon Lewis brings over a decade of experience as a design leader who transforms digital complexity into elegant, scalable systems. At the intersection of brand identity, product function, and systems thinking, he guides cross-functional teams through the creative wilderness with strategic clarity and purpose. His portfolio spans diverse territories—from philanthropy and fintech regulation to wellness platforms and health tech innovation—where he builds design operations that not only drive business growth but deepen human connection. Whether working with startups, agencies, government initiatives, or global enterprises, Brandon unifies marketing, product, and brand under a vision rooted in equity and genuine care. Brandon is also preparing to launch Slowdowwwn Café, a soulful new space coming to the heart of Richmond—a coffee shop and café nestled within a vibrant community hub and social club.
Beyond his professional life, Brandon finds joy in exploring cities on foot or by bike, discovering hidden corners with good light, and believes we notice more magic when we slow down. Insatiably curious about the human experience as it surfaces in art, grief, creativity, and play, he's raising three wildly imaginative kids who remind him daily to pause, be present, stay soft, and laugh maniacally often – reinforcing his belief that to create is to be alive.
Take it away, Brandon ...
SwapMeetRVA
Shop vintage fashion, sneakers, candles, jewelry, home décor, and more at SwapMeetRVA—Richmond’s hub for Black and brown creatives, queer makers, and sustainable style. Set against the backdrop of Main Street Station, this community market celebrates slow fashion, self-expression, and the art of intention over trend.
Vitals:
SwapMeetRVA at Main Street Station / Saturday, May 18 / 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM / FREE / Main Street Station, 1500 E Main Street
Poetry Open Mic Night @ KavaClub
Step up to the mic or just soak it all in—KavaClub’s Poetry Open Mic Night is an open invitation to share truth through words. Whether you're a seasoned poet or trying it for the first time, this is a space for vulnerability, creativity, and radical self-expression.
Vitals:
Poetry Open Mic Night @ KavaClub / Wednesday, May 15 / KavaClub, 1529 West Main Street
Park Chan-wook Screening @ Studio Two Three
Experience the haunting beauty and emotional depth of Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook at this special screening hosted by Studio Two Three. Known for works like Oldboy, his films explore grief, intimacy, and transformation with unmatched visual storytelling. Studio Two Three continues to champion inclusive, accessible art—and this is one more reason to show up.
Vitals:
Park Chan-wook Screening @ Studio Two Three / Monday, May 20 / 7:00 PM / FREE / Studio Two Three, 3300 W Clay Street
More From Brandon.
Slowdowwwn is in the making.
We're shaping it with care: a cozy café and book bar by day, a soulful lounge by night. A space that invites us to breathe, to be, and to belong. It’s designed for curiosity and connection. For gathering without performance. For joy, grief, and rest to sit side by side.
But this isn’t just our dream. It’s a collaborative pursuit to walk alongside others already doing the work of healing, hospitality, and justice in Richmond. We’re not here to reinvent the wheel. We’re here to contribute to the ecosystem with care and intention. We’re hosting a press release gathering on May 18th at Black Iris.
If you’re curious, come meet us. Ask questions. Share your vision. See how you might fit into this growing thing.
Give us a follow on Instagram and click to RSVP below.
Meet this week’s guest editor, Beth Anne Booth! Beth Anne is an artist, survivor, and advocate for the healing power of creativity and nature. A Williamsburg, Virginia, native, she studied art history and design at the University of Alabama, Oxford University, and the Corcoran College of Art + Design. Her career has spanned prestigious institutions like the Smithsonian, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, and Richmond’s arts and culture scene, most recently at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.
A woman in recovery, Beth Anne shares openly about her sober journey, which has provided her with a strong spiritual foundation. In 2022, she faced a life-altering lung disease that led to a double-lung transplant in June 2024. Through it all, she found strength in abstract expressionism, embracing the deep connection between art and healing.
Now based in Richmond, Beth Anne continues to create, travel for live music, and draw inspiration from bold colors, eclectic textures, and the natural world. She collects Mexican folk art, finds comfort in hawks, and secretly dreams of being a DJ.
Take it away, Beth Anne ...
photo credit: John Enright
Valentines Day at Rosewood
Stop by Rosewood Clothing on Friday, February 14th, starting at 12:00 pm, to pick up a beautiful premade bouquet—perfect for your sweetheart or yourself! All proceeds will benefit Safe Harbor RVA, supporting survivors of violence and abuse. Swing by, grab a bouquet, and help spread the love while supplies last!
Soul for Soil (January 31 – March 27, 2025) at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden explores the deep historical and spiritual bond between African American culture and the natural world. Curated by The Art Seen, this exhibit highlights resilience, creativity, and renewal through an artistic lens. Located in the Community Art Gallery in the Kelly Education Center, it is included with Garden admission.
Portals, a community-based exhibition in Shockoe Bottom, is on display now through the end of February. Created by the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia (BHMVA) in collaboration with the City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities, with support from Venture Richmond and The Art Seen, this exhibit features large-scale historic photographs showcasing African American life from the early 1800s to the 1980s.
image credit: Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia
More from Beth Anne...
I created Healing Whole Arts in 2021 as a space for reflection, healing, and creativity—unaware that it would prepare me for a profound physical journey. After a sudden unspecified interstitial lung disease (ILD) diagnosis in 2023, I received a double-lung transplant on June 14, 2024, a moment that transformed both my life and my art.
An elevated perspective, combined with a surge of creative energy, gave rise to the "Breathe" series—a body of large-scale paintings rooted in abstract expressionism. This collection is my artistic response to the emotions and experiences I went through, from the moment I received "The Call" that lungs were available to the "First Breath" I took with my donor’s lungs.
Join me for an Artist Q&A and public viewing of the "Breathe" series on Wednesday, February 26, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at The Yellow House. Experience the art, embrace the present, and breathe it all in. FREE with RSVP via Eventbrite.
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