Let's shake a leg (outside and with a mask) this weekend. Bring your dancing shoes, positive vibes, and love for this place we call home. Here are three ways to add a little more music to your life in RVA. We could all use it.
Boogie in the Bramble
Like a secret garden hidden in the northwest corner of Scott’s Addition, Brambly Park offers whimsical charm, a park-like oasis, and live music. Situated on almost two acres and surrounded by wild growing bramble bushes, this urban winery and full-service restaurant is this summer’s go-to spot for music, drinks, games, and socializing at a distance. On Saturday, Boogie in the Bramble kicks off with the acoustic stylings of Jonathan Facka at 2:30 PM followed by the phenomenal voice of Ms. Jaylin Brown. Stick around to get loose with DJ Williams & Friends as the sun sets.
Meet the Backyard Violinist. Ellen Cockerham Riccio, who has served as the Principal Second Violin of the Richmond Symphony since 2009, began offering “A Violinist in Your Backyard” earlier this year during quarantine. Since that time she has grown her 45-minute private concert series to front porches, side yards, alleyways, and more. You can choose whether you’d like a serious concert (think Bach), a more light-hearted one (think Kreisler), or background music while you enjoy dinner with the fam. Ellen encourages Richmonders to invite their neighbors to bring a blanket and their mask to enjoy the concert too.
Social distancing is a lot more enjoyable with your own picnic table, a bucket of beers and live music at the The Lilly Pad, Richmond’s only dockside restaurant. The Lilly Pad, which has quietly served Richmond’s boaters since 1958, was revamped this year and now boasts a 6,000-square-foot hardscaped patio, new docks, and a sleek new interior. Don’t worry, they kept their famous mural (misspellings and all). On Saturday, The Lilly Pad kicks off its summer concert series on the water with The Patrick Olivier Band at 8 PM. Check out Live Music at the Lilly Pad every Saturday for patio dining, drinks on the river's edge, and dancing 6’ apart!
Hosted this Saturday at 2 PM, Conversations at the Monument(CAM) will provide an open environment for the community to dialogue with state and local leaders about systemic inequality, police reform, racial injustice, education inequality, voting rights and restoration of rights, criminal injustice reform, and healthcare inequality.
Meet Nate Daniels, this week’s guest editor! Nate is here to get you active, motivated, and moving forward. He is the owner and lead trainer at Daniels Sports Performance where he helps Richmonders maximize their potential. Prior to opening his training facility, Nate enjoyed an illustrious athletics career of his own. After becoming a household name at Fairfax High School and Ferrum College, with hall of fame inductions at both institutions, Nate went on to play professionally. First, four seasons in the Arena Football League, followed by two in the American Indoor Football League for his hometown Richmond Bandits. Recently, Nate added author to his list of credentials. He wrote and published a children’s book, So You Want To Be A Pro?, in just six weeks -- all during quarantine. Take it away, Nate.
Keep your head in the game! Like everything this year, summer activities and outdoor sports look a little different. Here are a few fun ideas for how to stay active and keep moving forward this summer.
Maymont
When I want to get moving while still staying in the city, I head straight to Maymont. It has everything you need for a great day -- open fields to throw the ball around, a waterfall, walking paths, and an indoor (air conditioned) nature center. Pack a picnic or grab a sandwich from Coppola’s Deli in Carytown and plan to stay a while. The grounds and gardens are open from 10am-7pm daily. You can also hit the newly renovated Robins Nature Center, now a 29,000-square-foot attraction, from 10am-4pm, Thursday-Sunday. The largest facility of its kind in central Virginia, the center holds close to 30,000 gallons of aquaria showcasing animals of the James River and Chesapeake Bay. Whatever attracts you to Maymont, just get out there and keep moving.
While I’d typically recommend taking in a game at the ballfield as a way to unwind, we all know this summer is a bit different. That’s why I’m loving the Flying Squirrels Movies in the Outfield as a great way to get the family out and take in a movie in the outfield. My pick? The rescheduled showing of Remember the Titans coming up on August 8. Movies are shown on The Diamond’s video board on Thursday and Saturday nights. Admission is $8 per person (children 3 and younger are admitted free).
I recently wrote and published the first in a series of children's books. If you have a child or student who can’t wait to become a professional athlete, this book is for you! So You Want to Be a Pro? follows the story of Devon, a boy who loves football, on his journey to become a professional athlete. Any child, no matter their sport, can see themselves in Devon as he overcomes obstacles and learns perseverance.
In times like these, we could all use a sidekick. Sidekick RVA is a team of local business leaders who have recognized the importance of community and collaboration during the COVID-19 crisis. We’ve joined forces with Sidekick RVA to offer valuable career advice, professional headshots, and career tools to help others succeed. And it's 100% free!
As our friends at Keep Virginia Cozy like to say: Be kind. Smile at strangers. Pick up litter. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up three ideas for the weekend ahead to get out, to explore, and to celebrate the River City.
Socially Distant Earth Day
Keep Virginia Cozy, like everyone during this strange time, is working to find ways to stay active. That’s why, this year, the local nonprofit responsible for removing over 10,000 lbs. of litter and recycling from public spaces is hosting Socially Distant—EARTH DAY ANYWAY! (3 months later). The event is designed to clean the Belle Isle and Manchester area this Saturday and will kick off at 11 am. Participants are asked to wear a mask and all supplies will be provided for sprucing up the area. For added incentive, Keep Virginia Cozy will award prizes to those pulling in the heaviest bags of recyclables.
Mending Walls is a public art project that brings together public artists from different cultures and backgrounds to create murals that encourage healing through public art while adding something meaningful to the conversation of Black Lives Matter. You can spot recent murals being created around town this summer (check out 300 E. Broad St. this weekend for a work in progress by Noah Scalin and Alfonso Pérez Acosta) as well as drop by the Virginia Museum of History and Culture for a special pop-up Mending Walls exhibit. On display through September 7, the Mending Walls pop-up features a mural by Jowarnise Caston and Ian Hess. Their collaborative mural serves as a tribute to the late Marcus-David Peters and draws attention to racial and social injustices related to mental health.
Bring your mask and your dollar bills this Sunday to the parking lot of Diversity Richmond as the Drive-In Drag Show makes its mighty return. That’s right, the hostess with the mostess, Grace Wetpants, is back for another socially distanced drag show ($10 per car) benefiting Diversity Richmond. Since its inception, Diversity Richmond has distributed nearly $1,000,000 to area non-profit organizations working to strengthen the LGBTQ+ and Greater Richmond community. And make sure to return again in August for a new event in Diversity Richmond’s summer lineup -- Drive-In Karaoke! Practice your favorite song and wow the audience in the ongoing parking lot series.
We’ve teamed up with Double Image Studio to show kindness and appreciation for our local healthcare workers in a series of photos called Hope Heroes benefiting Central Virginia COVID-19 Relief Fund by Community Foundation.
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