With the holiday season upon us, we suggest sticking with the fundamentals in the weeks ahead -- giving back, getting outside, and eating warm donuts. Here are three tips for safely celebrating this place we love to call home this weekend and as we kick off the holidays. See you out there!
Eco-Journaling
on the River
Many of us kept diaries in our youth then abandoned the practice as we got older. But reflecting on our experiences with pen and paper can have numerous benefits – from reducing stress to improving sleep to making it through 2020. Join the free eco-journaling workshop in the beautiful urban wilderness of the James River Park System this Saturday at 3 PM. Eco-journaling combines mindfulness and quiet nature observation to help you simply unwind, reflect, and process the week – no writing or journaling experience required. Saturday’s session will be led by Natalie Stickel, a Richmond based writer, artist, educator, and river guide. “I believe healing of ourselves, our relationships, and our communities happens outside,” explains Natalie.
Vitals:
Saturday, November 21 / 3 PM - 5 PM / Meet at Pony Pasture at 7310 Riverside Dr / Bring a mask / All participants asked to adhere to social distancing of 6+ feet throughout the time together in the park
Warm Cider Donuts
at GrowRVA Market
Nothing says fall like WARM APPLE CIDER DONUTS! First Stop Donuts serves their delicious creations out of a school bus named Flubert! A hardworking everyday short school bus turned armored donut transport vehicle, Flubert can be spotted around Richmond at breweries, farmers markets, festivals and events big and small. On Saturdays you can find the school bus at the GrowRVA Market (formerly known as South of the James Farmers Market now at Bryan Park). Order a bag of donuts and hot cider by First Stop Donuts and spend your Saturday morning outside exploring local farms, local food and local arts.
Vitals:
Saturday, Nov 21 / 9 AM - Noon / GrowRVA Market / Masks required at all times (no eating those donuts in the market area, there's plenty of room in Bryan Park)
Holiday Volunteering Guide
by HandsOnRVA
During this time of year, many Richmonders want to find ways to volunteer, donate an in-kind gift, or weave the importance of giving into their holiday plans. While your holiday giving may look different in 2020, there are still many opportunities to give back in thoughtful and responsible ways. The fine folks at HandsOnRVA have rounded up a handy guide that details ways to give back during this holiday season. Doing a Secret Santa or other gift exchange? Ask for, or give, the gift of charity instead. Tell your coworkers or family you’d like a monetary donation in your name for a favorite local cause. Learn more about ways to align your values to organizations doing work in the Richmond region and create a culture of giving within your own fam this holiday season. Check out the Holiday Philanthropy Guide here. Also check the guide for a list of tips for healthy volunteering to keep you safe while volunteering, gathering supplies, and lending a hand this season.
A favorite tradition at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden featuring lights, decorations, outdoor model trains, dinners, hot chocolate & more! All displays are outdoors with safety measures in place. Beginning November 23! Nightly 4-10 p.m.
Two for one! Meet this week's guest editors, Alex and Lauren Glaser, the husband-and-wife duo behind award-winning real estate firm The Glaser Group. The team has been named among the top three ‘Best Real Estate Agent(s)’ by Style Weekly for seven consecutive years – and they make it their business to know the City of Richmond inside and out! If you’ve ever checked out their Instagram @whyrichmondisawesome, then you know how much Alex and Lauren love RVA (and their Richmond Animal League pups!). They created the Why Richmond is Awesome community to showcase what makes it one of the best cities to live, work, and play. Get inspired by some of their top picks for things to do around Richmond as we head into the holidays.
Virtual Thursday
Night Trivia
When the pandemic hit, we searched for ways to stay connected to our community and support local businesses, restaurants, and breweries. Enter: virtual trivia. Were we qualified as realtors to host trivia? No. Did we do it anyway and fall in love? Yes. Every week we host free, virtual, live trivia, and the prizes are purchased from local spots to give them recognition and help support them financially. As we enter the colder season and our ability to socially distance outdoors dwindles, we invite you to cozy up in front of your device and join us for some good fun and prizes. Each week we purchase and give away gift cards to local spots for first and second place, but we also give out participation prizes each game and $20 for best team name, so even if you’re not awesome at trivia you still have an opportunity to win. This week's featured businesses are Can Can Brasserie (check out their fall special, Maple Crème Brûlée, pictured here) and Sneed's Nursery! Become a trivia club member (free!) and get two answers each week, plus hints and early access during special trivia events.
Participate in Better Housing Coalition’s fourth annual Gingerbread House Challenge! Round up your household, friends, family, "quaranteam," or simply register solo to show off your creative spirit by building a gingerbread house based around the ‘Hometown Holidays’ theme. The deadline to register is November 27 and virtual judging takes place December 3. The Gingerbread House Challenge is a (virtual) fundraiser supporting BHC’s mission of changing lives and transforming communities through high-quality affordable housing. Raise money for a chance to win the People’s Choice Award, which includes an awesome prize pack from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, and also compete for the juried grand prize of $1,000. We can’t think of a better way to safely get into the holiday spirit while giving back to a great cause!
Vitals:
The deadline to register is November 27 / Virtual judging is December 3
Artisan Market
Main Line Brewing
On select Sundays now through December, Main Line Brewing is hosting a local artisan market so you can shop small this holiday season! We’ve found so many incredible makers at various Richmond-area pop-up markets and it’s such a great way to source local treasures and gifts for friends and loved ones. Browse more than 20 vendors selling home-made items such as jewelry, soaps, candles, and more. Once you’ve done some shopping, relax and sip on a craft beer or gluten-free hard seltzer. Cirrus Vodka is next door if you’d prefer a spirit. But our favorite part? Main Line Brewery welcomes dogs on its patio and inside its taproom ... Cheers!
HEARD, premiering Thursday at 9:00 pm on VPMChannel 23, captures the inspiring stories of five people who grew up in public housing, surviving and thriving in spite of, and often because of, the challenges they've had to overcome. Now they’re giving back to their home communities, trying to make a better life for those who come behind.
Meet Bill Street, our guest editor for a special early edition of Here Weekly! Bill is the executive director of James River Association and today he kicks off "Riding the Currents of 2020," a virtual event featuring the exceptional efforts in our river community, giveaways, and inspiring updates across the watershed. As a child, Bill remembers following his father as he waded in lush underwater grass beds dipping for soft shell crabs. But by the time Bill came of age to dip for crabs himself, those vital grass beds were gone because pollution wiped them out. Now with two sons of his own, Bill's personal mission is to ensure that future generations are able to enjoy healthy Virginia waters. Take it away, Bill ...
Every time I see a sturgeon breach, an eagle soar or see people swimming in the river right downtown, it fuels my fire to keep the James River comeback coming. Here are three tips to get outside this fall to explore our river and the Richmond community at large. See you on the water!
Pipeline
Trail
A wonderful getaway to escape right in the heart of Richmond City, the James River Pipeline Trail offers captivating scenery and an up-close-and-personal view of the Pipeline rapids. Located at the end of S. 12th St. downtown, this unique trail has a metal ladder you can climb down to walk the pipeline, boasting even greater opportunities to observe the natural resources of Virginia’s largest river and take in Fall’s foliage. You may even spot a Great Blue Heron among other wildlife tucked away in the banks of the James. Make sure to bring a blanket as there are several small, sandy beaches nestled throughout the trail which act as the perfect backdrop for an afternoon picnic or sit down by the water.
The Robins Nature Center at Maymont, a 29,000 sq. ft. attraction and the largest facility of its kind in Central Virginia, holds close to 30,000 gallons of aquaria showcasing animals of the James River and Chesapeake Bay. As part of the Center’s $2.3 million renovation project, Maymont is showcasing a special exhibit themed, “Run of the River,” which highlights the natural history of the area and accentuates the remarkable ecology of the James River located on Maymont’s southern border in Richmond. The Center presents a new way to experience the river with features like “River Reach,” a 34 ft tall sculpture that inspires active play and learning within a series of netted rising platforms that depict microscopic river microorganisms. You can catch me there among the approximately 45,000 guests that have already visited the exhibit for a fun and interactive day exploring all of the many exciting hands-on activities.
After exploring Maymont and the James River Pipeline Trail, I recommend you enjoy a delicious beer at one of my favorite spots - Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. You won't want to miss the upcoming release of their Gingerbread Porter and Bourbon GBS on Saturday, November 14 from 12pm-9pm at both their Richmond Brew House & Taproom location and the West Creek Brewery location. Sip on the Bourbon GBS, ranked as one of the Top 20 Milk Stouts in the World by BeerAdvocate.com, while listening to live bluegrass as a nod to Hardywood’s traditional Bluegrass Festival, while taking in the beautiful scenery of Tuckahoe Creek. You can also grab a Great Return IPA if that’s more your speed - a seven-year collaboration benefitting the James River Association - bringing awareness to the great comeback of Atlantic sturgeon in the James River.
There’s still time to register for James River Association’s Riding the Currents of 2020, happening at 5pm tonight! This annual-oyster-roast-turned-virtual-event will give you an exclusive insider’s look into inspiring updates on JRA’s work across the watershed, James Changer Awards acknowledging exceptional efforts in our river community, and awesome river-themed giveaways including paddles on the James and a pontoon boat tour for 10. There’s even a James Changer cocktail lesson and Waterbird Spirits giveaway if you log on early at 4:45pm! NBC12 Meteorologist Andrew Freiden will host, joined by an exciting lineup of local and international industry experts who will speak to the importance of water in our lives, our rivers, and our planet.
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