We see a fun-filled fall in your future...

VOL. 46  /  FORTUNES We hope you’ve been relaxing and taking full advantage of all things summertime. Take a brief break from the humidity to think forward and knock out some crucial fall planning. Read below for three must-do commitments to begin shaping out your fall calendar! Middleburg Film Festival So, little known fact is that we are film fiends… amateur film buffs, if you will. If you’re like us - or at least curious - we have a must-attend for you. The Middleburg Film Festival returns to Northern VA this October. Think impressive line-up of films, beautiful countryside, and coursed farm-to-table dinners hosted at local vineyards (that means there will plenty of wine, too). Ticket packages are now available and will sell out. Check out the Cinephile Pass or Saturday Date Night Special. Individual tickets will go on sale at the end of September when the full slate of films is revealed.   Vitals: October 18-21 middleburgfilm.org Fire, Flour & Fork Next up: Fire, Flour & Fork, a weekend for the food curious - one of our favorite happenings of the year. You know the drill: 40 food and drink events brought to you by the best of the Richmond dining scene and beyond. Tickets go on sale August 15, and they move. If you want your first pick of chef dinners or signature events, then be ready to pounce. The line-up of tours, lunches, dinners, classes and more has not yet been released. Our best advice: sign up for the emails so you get the notifications and are ready to go! Food for thought: Each ticketed Fire, Flour & Fork event benefits a different local non-profit each year. Now that’s something to feel good about. Vitals: November 1-4 fireflourandfork.com All The Running How to make reparations for your overindulgences at Fire, Flour & Fork? Run it all out in the Anthem Richmond Marathon races the following weekend. Good news: There are options for runners of all strides. Choose your challenge between the marathon, the half marathon and the 8K. Official training just started, so there’s still plenty of time to prep yourself for race day! Hit us up at hi@hereweekly.com for our half-marathon training schedule. (Wish us luck!) Invite a friend to join you! The marathon's energy and sense of community is seriously infectious. Race ya! P.S. Registration prices increase October 1, so commit yourself early!   Vitals: November 10 richmondmarathon.com Oh baby... Your favorite Rep T-Shirts now come in miniature! With all the baby showers and new little Richmonders popping up, the Rep Onesie is the perfect gift. Plus, they are just as soft & cozy as our t-shirts. SHOP NOW

Our guide to First Fridays, downtown Richmond's signature monthly art walk.

VOL. 32  / FIRST FRIDAYS First Fridays, downtown Richmond’s signature monthly art walk, is a must-attend, at least yearly. But with our “let’s wing it” approach, we never quite felt like we knew where to go. So for tomorrow night's First Friday, we’ve done the research and devoted a whole newsletter to guiding you through it all: the art, the food and the extras. This evergreen guide serves whenever you go, with a few May-specific events sprinkled in. Step 1: check out the map. Then read on for our recs! Unrelated P.S.: Boho Cycle and Health Warrior are celebrating National Fitness Day this Saturday with a killer workout we want to try. The Art First Fridays is all about the art, of course. Instead of vaguely walking the streets wondering where the action is, walk with purpose to this short list of galleries. Extensive & coordinated / Gallery 5 throws a First Fridays shindig every month, complementing their current exhibits with food and music. Candela Books & Gallery and 1708 Gallery are both opening new exhibits Friday and are always a good stop. And definitely hit ADA! Under-the-radar & intimate / Middle of Broad is a studio partnership between three VCU departments, and we're sure it will show us something we've not seen before. Valet also has a new exhibit opening, and Endeavor screams cool.   The Food The walk in “art walk” works up a bit of an appetite, as if we needed an excuse to explore some new restaurants. Loved standbys Comfort and Saison are always yummy, but have you been to Mahogany Sweets? Read more about their story and then go try their baked goods before they close to the public and shift to a wholesale bakery at the end of May! Last week, we covered breakfast and lunch joint Salt & Forge, and this week, they’re staying open late for First Friday. (Side note: anyone else dying over their biscuit pics on Instagram!?)   Vitals: mahoganysweets.com saltandforge.com The Extras The magic of First Fridays lies in the unexpected adventure of the night. There's a lot more beyond the art! Steady Sounds, Black Iris and 9WG Studios add a musical element to your night. The Broad also opens its doors to the public every month, giving us a glimpse at their gallery - right now it features work by local Virginia women. This Friday, our extra pick is definitely the Latin Ballet of Virginia's performance featuring the music and dance of Cuba. Bring your dancing shoes, because we hear participation is highly encouraged!   Vitals: facebook.com/events/1012856138853015

 One weekly email. Three must-do ideas. Infinite potential.

VOL. 31  /  CRISP The plethora of exciting things to do and adventures to be had continues this week. We've been digging April, and we're pumped to see what May brings next week - ideally more blooms and less pollen. Let's go! Rooftop Guide We’re just going to optimistically say that rooftop season has officially arrived. We’ve scouted the prospects for you, so all you have to do is pick your favorite and order a drink. We’re partial to the Graduate’s Byrd House, which just opened this season. It now claims the title of highest rooftop bar in the city. Worth the wait! (P.S. Check out the rooftop yoga.) Nearby, Quirk’s rooftop is just as stunning and intimate. Kabana is larger and a little bit more wild, but has killer views. And there’s always the Hof for a more casual vibe. Cheers!   Vitals: graduatehotels.com/richmond/restaurant/byrd-house destinationhotels.com/quirk-hotel/q-rooftop-bar kabanarooftop.com thehofgarden.com Homemade in Jackson Ward Salt & Forge is a welcome addition to the neighborhood in Jackson Ward. The menu at the newly-opened breakfast and lunch spot expertly couples made-from-scratch, yet innovative elements. Example: bread from Idle Hands Bread Company sandwiches turkey, brie, blackberry jam and crispy shallots, while the lentil soup is finished with fresh tomatoes and kale. The food is lovingly and promptly served in a stunner of a space with tons of natural light. We’ve tried it for lunch, and we're dying to return for breakfast - mostly to hang with owner David Hahn, who's got the gracious host thing down.   Vitals: Monday-Friday / 7am-4pm Saturday / 9am-4pm saltandforge.com Futures: Trevor Noah Tickets Trevor Noah was just named one of the TIME 100 Most Influential People this year - making his live show in Richmond a must-see. His visit to the Altria Theater was announced way back in February, but lucky for you, we noticed there are still a few tickets left. Now’s the time to grab them - they won’t last much longer now with the bump of press from the Time honor. Our plan: grab an early dinner down the street at Dinamo, and then follow up the show with a rooftop stop or two!   Vitals: Saturday, May 5 / 7pm etix.com/ticket/p/8680862 Spring Green We chose the color of our Rep. t-shirts carefully. An army green works with just about everything. And pairs well with florals. Groundbreaking. SHOP NOW