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.
