Brrr, it’s cold out there but don’t let that stop you from exploring and celebrating this place we love to call home. Here’s your inspiration to bundle up and go! See you out there, let's go ...
Bake a Difference
At Tablespoons Bakery, everyone is welcome to the table. Pop in this weekend and you’ll find larger-than-life cookies, endless piles of rainbow sprinkles, warm cups of coffee and friendly smiles. But what stands out most is the bakery’s celebration of community, inclusivity, and diversity. As a vocational culinary training program through the non-profit The Next Move Program, Tablespoons Bakery provides internship experiences and employment opportunities for young adults with developmental disabilities. Launched in 2017 with the support of the Virginia Department of Education and professional baker Britt Falabella, the baking program serves 50+ young adults annually and strives to combat high rates of unemployment for people with disabilities in Virginia. Elizabeth Redford, executive director and co-founder, says the talented crew at Tablespoons bakes to make a difference, to teach students that they are capable, and to show others that differences are beautiful. Located in the former parsonage house of Westover Hills United Methodist Church, the new brick and mortar bakery and community café offers everything from baked goods, coffee, tea, an outdoor courtyard, Tot Lot playground for kids, and community space for events and workshops. When you’re finished polishing off a warm plate of cookies take a stroll through nearby James River Park System.
Do yourself a favor and explore Richmond’s first coffeeshop, craft barbecue, and Tex Mex mashup on Brookland Park Boulevard! Known as the “front porch” of Brookland Park, The Smoky Mug has a little something for everyone. We’re talking pork spare ribs that fall off the bone, mouth-watering house made smoked turkey chili chowder that’s sure to warm you up, bagel sandwiches made on locally loved Chewy's Bagels, and homemade pressed tortillas that make their Taco Night the best in all the land. And don’t forget to test drive the drink menu too, ranging from a delightfully rich and spicy Aztec Hot Cocoa with honey, chili pepper, cinnamon, and vanilla spiced whipped cream to a delicious Winter Margarita that features a trio of winter citrus—key lime, lemon and blood orange. For a day like this, we suggest asking the friendly baristas for a Hot Toddy with Wild Turkey 101, honey, and spiced tea or the Melted Snowman, a frosty fav built with melted chips of milk and white chocolate with a few buttons of peppermint.
It may be cold out there, but don’t let that stop you from wandering outside and rediscovering some of your favorite places in a different light. If you ask us, there’s nothing better than a snowy backdrop to help change your perspective. Consider a walk to Sankofa Community Orchard, where you’ll find murals by local artists and volunteers organized by Happily Natural organization, fusing together art, food justice, racial justice and climate justice initiatives. This 1-acre space in a formerly redlined neighborhood on Richmond’s southside is now home to a field of freestanding murals – that’s over 1700 square feet of art that really pops any time of year, but especially now! The garden, which includes fruit trees and fruiting shrubs, is part of efforts by City of Richmond and local nonprofits to ensure stormwater best management practices along Reedy Creek for a healthier Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
True Places is an experiential art initiative designed to inspire the exploration and celebration of our most authentic outdoor places in Richmond. To begin, the True Places crew challenged four local artists to depict their true place in a piece of art that highlights destinations not commonly found on a map or along a well-worn path. The result – the first in a series of fine art prints for sale that honor places in the great outdoors that speak to our community’s ability to push further, explore deeper, reflect, and to learn along the way.
Meet Emily Smith, this week’s guest editor! Emily, as many Richmonders know, is the Executive Director of 1708 Gallery, one of our favorite nonprofit contemporary art spaces that you can find on Broad Street in the Arts District. As part of the arts community, Emily is constantly inspired by the visionary and talented artists here in the River City and is heartened by the camaraderie that exists across Richmond’s arts organizations of all sizes. She is married to an artist and is mom to a 12-year-old who bounces between drawing manga and playing soccer. Read on for Emily's tips about the many ways to explore and celebrate this place we all love to call home.
Take it away, Emily ...
Different Layers
One of my family’s favorite things to do is hike some of the lengthy sections of the James River Park’s trail system. Sometimes this means the 6-ish mile loop starting from the Belle Isle parking lot and walking west along the North Bank Trail – passing Hollywood and Riverview Cemeteries, walking below the Japanese Gardens at Maymont, crossing the Nickel Bridge, and wandering through the lush woods along the Buttermilk Trail down to Reedy Creek and back to Belle Isle. I especially like the mash up of urban and environmental as you glimpse the river between the parked rail cars covered with the most amazing graffiti. It’s like an outdoor gallery.
Or we start at Ancarrow’s Landing and follow the Richmond Slave Trail to 14th Street, walk along the floodwall to the T. Pott bridge, continue down the Canal Walk through Shockoe and back across the Mayo Bridge.
To me, these walks really capture what makes Richmond Richmond. At any given moment, you experience a dozen different layers of our past, present and future. You are reminded of the complexities of the city from its cultural strengths to the sorrowful moments in its history.
This is an unfair question! Between places I loved to visit before COVID, places I regularly get coffee from (looking at you Quirk, Lift and now Birdie's) and the ridiculous number of places we’ve ordered takeout from in the past 22 months, this post could be lengthy.
However, I will name one! At some point during the pandemic Jamaica House opened its new spot on Broad Street across from 1708. I wasn’t in the office much at that point and so hadn’t yet eaten there (and am sorry to say I hadn’t been to its previous location) when a friend in Charlottesville mentioned that she would drive to Richmond with the sole purpose of getting takeout. On this strong endorsement I gave it a try and yes, the food is that good. I go between the curry and jerk chicken either as a main dish or with a bowl but the curried veggies are also fantastic.
First of all, everyone should spend this weekend visiting ALL of the shops in the Arts District. There are SO many. The neighborhood might be called the Arts District because of the galleries and art organizations but friends, our retail neighbors are every bit as artful. Plus, you can pick up Jamaica House takeout when you’re finished.
I’d also like to point out some of the amazing makers, and supporters of makers, in our community. At the top of the list is People Via Plants, a ceramic studio run by Valerie Molnar and Matt Spahr. They make the most amazing planters and mugs – each one is as functional as it is lovely. The Ludo Mug is my current favorite. Trust me, it holds a lot of coffee. You can find them on Instagram and at markets across the city. And BONUS, they regularly share proceeds with community groups and nonprofits.
Also supporting our talented community of makers is Alma’s on Brookland Park Boulevard. Artists Sarah Mizer and John Henry Blatter’s gallery and shop features exhibitions and a smartly curated selection of craft-based jewelry and home goods. They also offer a quarterly subscription service, called Form and Function, which is a great avenue for meeting new artists and artisans.
1708 Gallery is one of the longest running arts nonprofits in the country. We got our start – and our name – when a group of VCU arts faculty decided to run their own art space and found a good spot at 1708 E. Main Street in Shockoe Bottom. 40 plus years later, we are now located on Broad Street but continue the work started by our founders to give artists as much freedom and support as we can so that they can make artworks that matter to you. And we’re excited to share that we’ve just purchased our building and will be developing an artists-in-residence program on the 2nd and 3rd floors!
This week, we're celebrating True Places RVA, an experiential art initiative designed to inspire the exploration and celebration of our most authentic outdoor places in the River City. To begin, we challenged four local artists to depict Richmond’s “true places” in a work of art that highlights destinations not commonly found on a map or along a well-worn path. The result is the first in a series of fine art prints that honor places in the great outdoors that speak to our community’s ability to push further, explore deeper, reflect, and learn along the way. Each piece of art is available as a limited release print (only 250 of each true place will ever be made) just in time for last minute shoppers this holiday season.
Sharp's Island by Ed Trask
One of a kind really only begins to describe one-acre Sharp's Island on the James River in the middle of downtown Richmond! Adventure seekers know this spot as the only legal camping option in the heart of RVA. Art is already a part of the Sharp’s Island story as a sculpture made by Keith Ramsey from repurposed railroad ties sits at the tip of the island. Richmond artist Ed Trask, an avid explorer and fan of all things outside, paddled to Sharp’s to create this special piece for the True Places series. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this print benefits the Blue Sky Fund.
Located at Ancarrow’s Landing in Richmond, the Manchester Slave Docks sit quietly along the rutted banks of the James amid a tangled forest of concrete pillars, trees, and history hidden in plain sight. As part of the Richmond Slave Trail, the docks serve as a place to reflect on the journey many slaves walked from the river’s port to slave jails in the city. Today, the docks are part of an effort to pull back the covers of a dark history as part of Richmond’s responsibility to understand the authentic story and to tell the truth. Austin "Auz" Miles, a celebrated Richmond artist known for creating visual conversations that ignite understanding and inspire community healing, painted the Manchester Slave Docks for our True Places series. A portion of the proceeds from Auz’s piece will benefit Keep Virginia Cozy, a nonprofit working to increase diversity and inclusion in our public lands while leaving outdoor places better than we find them.
Just down the metal ladder along a narrow catwalk atop the pipeline, you’ll find the heart of Richmond. Here the CSX railway serves as your canopy above, with giant granite boulders flanking the banks and the river raging below your feet. You’ll spot Blue Herons nesting in their riverfront rookery along with Osprey, ducks and geese. Nearby the islands are wild and crumbling ruins of Richmond’s past scatter the landscape. Sounds of passing trains mix with the cadence of the James roaring through the Pipeline Rapids, mirroring the pace of our own lives. Artist Melissa Burgess has captured this special place in her painting of the Pipeline as part of the Ture Places series. A portion of the proceeds from Melissa’s piece will benefit Beyond Boundaries, a nonprofit in Richmond specializing in guiding participants with disabilities, veterans, at risk youth, and recovery programs on outdoor adventures.
In 1819, a two-story gristmill on the north bank of the James River was built, just downstream of what is now the Nickel Bridge. The ruins of that once-massive stone structure still stands today! That's right, 200-years of storms and floods have not quite consumed it. This abandoned and almost entirely unknown slice of Richmond offers a tangible link to Richmond history and reminder of our tenacity. Go in search of Foushee Mill, and you’ll be rewarded with a hike through Richmond’s urban wilderness and a reminder of our city’s craftsmanship, grit, and longtime draw to the river’s edge. Foushee Mill was painted by artist Steve Hedberg, an artist known for his adventures along the James River, for the True Places series. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Friends of the James River Park, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that works in partnership with the Park staff to promote, conserve and support the Park.
Learn about each local artist, snag all four limited prints at a discounted gift set rate, place an order that's guaranteed to arrive just in time for the holidays, and keep up with future plans as True Places RVA grows. As an ongoing art experiment, True Places belongs to the community and will evolve with it!
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