Meet Erin Lunsford, this week's guest editor! Erin is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist originally from Fincastle, Virginia. She's been making music and teaching voice in RVA since 2018. You might know her as the front woman of Richmond-based Erin & The Wildfire or from her solo residency @ Common House in 2023. Her lyrics embrace body positivity, self love, female empowerment, and inner growth.
Take it away, Erin...
Fuel The Body
Springtime has me in the flow creatively and I love to pair that with some coffee to keep me focused and productive. My favorite coffee spot is Buna Kurs Ethiopian Cafe. Woman owned and operated, this spot is so beautiful and has a perfect little patio in Jackson Ward. My go-to drink is the Honey Cardamom Latte - it's what dreams are made of. This shop also hosts a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony on Saturdays at 2pm as well as different community pop-ups like yoga, zumba, jewelry sales, traditional dinners, and music. The owner, Lily, is so sweet and works hard to bring the community together through her delicious Ethiopian food.
To keep my writing space feeling fresh and inspiring, I like to decorate with plants (like a lot of plants) and I love to listen to music that sparks my imagination. You can find gorgeous curated plants and a great selection of local vinyl at Shades Of Moss - RVA's Neighborhood House Plant & Indie Record Shop. This shop will help you pick out plants to suit your space and style and send you off with an indie record so you can enjoy your plant with the best possible vibes. Check out the Shades Of Moss IG for their plant classes and listening room events too. They also have mugs, totes, stickers, and books if you need some more retail therapy while you're there.
I'm biased, but I'm so excited to invite you to my single release show at The Get Tight Lounge this Saturday April 6th. My song "Lightning So Blue" will drop on all listening platforms Friday and we are hosting a show Saturday night to celebrate! I wrote this song to encourage women to feel good in their sexuality and confident in their ability to talk openly about pleasure. My band Erin & The Wildfire has been making music for over a decade and we are very proud to be a part of the dynamic Richmond music scene. This single release is part of a string of releases that we will compile into an album in 2025. The Get Tight Lounge is a relatively new venue in the RVA scene and they feature all kinds of music almost every night of the week. We are honored to have local jazz soul band Shera Shi opening up the night at 8pm. Doors at 7:30pm.
Erin Lunsford is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist (guitar, banjo, piano) originally from Fincastle, Va and now located in Richmond, Va. Best known as the front-woman, lead vocalist and lyricist in touring indie-pop/soul band Erin & The Wildfire, her vocals have been described as soulful, expressive, and powerhouse and her effortless vocal process has been compared to Chris Stapleton, Eva Cassidy, and Susan Tedeschi.
Erin has a love for personal storytelling - rooted in a deep history of family folk music - that is highlighted by her poignant lyrics and unforgettable vocal prowess, as evidenced in her most recent releases.
The Wildfire’s “Touchy Feely,” was released in April 2022 after a year and a half of virtual songwriting. The lyrics are an exploration of self-love and self-acceptance through body positivity, inner child healing, and letting go of limiting thoughts to make space for growth. Female empowerment, the antithesis of a damsel in distress, is at the heart of Lunsford's music and message, making "The Damsel,” an intentionally ironic title for her solo album. The album takes a deep dive into unrequited love, family forgiveness, and coming-of-age in your 20s, and spans genres spouting from Erin's bluegrass roots and folding into her soulful, R&B vocal tendencies.
Erin & The Wildfire’s first show after 2020’s pandemic hiatus was a sold-out Friday Cheers in Richmond, Va in 2021. The band then made their debut on NPR’s Mountain Stage alongside Amy Helm, Chris Pierce, and Christian Lopez. E&TW has provided direct support for national tours including Sammy Rae & The Friends’ 2022 Follow Me Like the Moon Tour, Maggie Rose’s Summer 2022 Tour, and The Dip’s Fall 2019 Tour. They have shared the stage with other dynamic acts including Oh He Dead, Marcus King Band, Natalie Prass, Jill Scott, Butcher Brown, Mighty Joshua, The Village People, and Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds.
Solo, Lunsford has opened for Darrell Scott, Love Canon, Bruce Hornsby, Carbon Leaf, Love Canon, The Village People, Leon Russel and more, and performed with Keller Williams and Leftover Salmon, the Grammy-award winning newgrass band, The Infamous Stringdusters, and Pimps of Joytime.
Meet Tom Zydel, this week's guest editor! Tom is the Vice President of Advancement and Engagement at Maymont. He has a decade of experience in nonprofit management and leadership, including roles at renowned institutions like Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His dynamic approach to community engagement has seen him spearhead initiatives such as expanding the Maymont Membership program and relaunching the Adopt an Animal program. Originally from New Jersey, Tom now proudly calls Richmond home, where he resides with his family in Chesterfield. They enjoy outdoor adventures and exploring museums together, all while savoring the hunt for authentic New Jersey-style pizza across the metro area.
Take it away, Tom...
Family Easter at Maymont
The ultimate Easter weekend in Richmond starts with Dominion Energy Family Easter on Saturday at Maymont, and is capped off with Easter on Parade on Monument Avenue. Every spring, Maymont invites the entire community to come out and meet the Easter Bunny, pet some baby goats and alpacas, play games, and meet Nola the river otter, the latest rescued resident of The Robins Nature Center. There’s room for everyone, with activities on the 6-acre Carriage House Lawn, by The Robins Nature Center and at Maymont Farm.
Vitals:
Dominion Energy Family Easter, Saturday, March 30th, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, $5 per person, free for members and Museums for All; all three entrances open for the event: 1700 Hampton Street, 1001 Spottswood Road, and 2201 Shields Lake Drive
Chesterfield Restaurant Week
This week marks the first-ever Chesterfield Restaurant Week, with over 40 restaurants that prove you CAN find good food out in the ‘burbs. My favorite is Sergio’s Pizza’s chicken parm; my Sicilian-American mother endorses the veal parm. My family also adores Pakwaan Indian Cuisine. So good.
Vitals: Chesterfield Restaurant Week / March 29 - April 7, check participating restaurants for special offers, event proceeds support the Chesterfield Food Bank Outreach Center
Take a Hike!
No youth sports this weekend with the holidays, but Richmond has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to outdoor adventures, all within easy reach. From the James River Park System to Pocahontas State Park, there are trails to explore and trees to climb. We love going to Pocahontas, which just happens to be Virginia’s largest state park, with 90 miles of trails, three lakes and an aquatic center.
Vitals:
Pocahontas State Park, open daily 7:30 am – dusk, $7 per car ($10 weekends, April - October), 10301 State Park Rd., Chesterfield
More About Maymont.
Built in 1893 for James and Sallie Dooley, Maymont has been a public park and house museum since 1925, when the 100-acre estate was bequeathed “for the use and pleasure of people of the City of Richmond.” A nature center and farm animals were added in the late 1950s, and in 1975, the city appointed the Maymont Foundation to assume responsibility for its restoration and ongoing operations. Funded primarily by individual donations, the nonprofit organization has restored the entire property, and maintains it as a public greenspace, open daily without admission, along with programs and events to engage the entire community.
As Maymont approaches its 100th anniversary as a public park, the Foundation is undertaking a $11.75 Million campaign, Maymont 2025. With a combination of public and private funds, Maymont is restoring the roof of the Maymont Mansion using a red slate that comes from the same quarry as the original roof designed in 1893. Another exciting component of the project is reconfiguring the habitats for the rescued native wildlife – connecting the pathways more fluidly and adding two new species, coyote and porcupine – to reopen in 2025 as The Virginia Wildlife Trail. The vast majority of Maymont’s rolling landscape will remain open daily during construction, and the events calendar is packed with fun community gatherings.
Meet our Guest Editor, Jeff Mapp MD, MBA, a Richmond native who has dedicated 16 years to pediatric care in his hometown. After graduating from the VCU School of Medicine, Jeff practiced at Pediatric Associates of Richmond for almost 15 years. He has more recently joined the faculty at the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU. His passion for global health, ignited during his pre-med days in Guatemala, led to the creation of Extra Mile Pediatrics, a global health nonprofit, in 2018. The organization serves nine communities across Guatemala and El Salvador.
Beyond his medical achievements, Jeff is also a food enthusiast, always on the hunt for local food spots, breweries, and coffee shops when he's not in his scrubs. Jeff lives in Richmond with his wife and two daughters.
Take it away, Jeff...
Villages at Révéler
On Friday March 22nd, local band Villages ("Part Americana, part neo-70's folk rock") will be playing at Révéler in Carytown. This popular venue and local favorite band are not to be missed, so consider grabbing a ticket ASAP. Villages will be doing an acoustic set, and will be joined by several special guest musicians throughout the night.
Vitals:
Villages at Révéler / Friday, March 22nd, 8:00 - 10:45 pm, tickets $12 - 15 / Révéler, 3108 W Cary Street
The Extra Mile 5k
We're super excited to host the inaugural Extra Mile 5K this weekend in Byrd Park! Even though we are a global health nonprofit, we are firmly rooted in RVA. So we're loving this opportunity to get together with tons of our supporters and the Richmond running community to celebrate our hometown. We think we've put together a unique event as runners will not only run the traditional 3.1 miles of a 5K, but will go the extra mile to create a total race distance of 4.1 miles. Those who aren't interested in as long a course, but still want to be involved have the option of registering for just "The Extra Mile" only, making this event great for walkers and joggers of all speeds and intensities!
Registration is still open for this event and will remain open until race morning, so it's not too late to join us!
There are so many great local breweries in the Richmond area, and there are so many things that make each one worth a visit. Final Gravity became a bit of a race planning office for our team as we were putting together the Extra Mile 5K, for lots of reasons. They have a very active running community, and Final Gravity Run Club hosts weekly run groups in the area. The brewery has a great neighborhood feel, and the staff is always super friendly and helpful. Last, but certainly not least, they have great beers on tap as well as several kombucha options and snacks.
We'll have a crew of people there at least twice this week. Our post-race celebration will be at Final Gravity on Saturday afternoon and I plan to head back for Trivia night Tuesday at 7:00 pm!
In January of this year, our field teams saw our 3,000th patient since inception. As exciting as that milestone is, we are more proud of the quality of care each patient received, and the consistency with which they were seen in follow-up year after year. Our focus remains on foundational health issues that can create sustainable and long-lasting positive impact: development, growth, nutrition, chronic care management and more. The time our clinical teams spend in each community does more than provide care at the individual patient level. Our teams are also able to discern the nuances and circumstances that make healthcare access so difficult for our families. We can then develop systems and programs that can be run locally, and on an ongoing basis, so that overtime care is available and dependable. To date we have developed programs that provide households with clean drinking water and that provide children with poor vision with custom glasses for vision correction. Finally we have piloted programs that deliver speech therapy for children with developmental delay and products and education to address menstrual health and period poverty. We feel strongly that the combination of ongoing clinical care at the individual level, paired with program development and systems-level solutions, is a combination that creates the kind of change that grows over time and can ultimately lift entire communities.
Go
