Meet Emily Perry, this week's guest editor! Emily is a former high school educator who hails from Northern Virginia. She spent a decade working as a teacher in both Louisiana and Dubai, before settling down in Richmond. After a major career pivot from teaching to property management, Emily learned she was made for hospitality; she now runs a mini-boutique hotel in Church Hill called Eileen (along with her colleague David Steiger) and couldn’t be happier. Emily enjoys playing recreational kickball (shoutout to ClubWaka), enjoying Spotty Dog Ice Cream, and spending time with her two and a half year-old son at their favorite spot, Jefferson Park playground. Emily's recommendations, whether for ice cream flavors or anything else, are sure to be a hit!
Take it away, Emily...
Eileen's Birthday
She is beauty, she is grace: she is Eileen. A beautifully restored hundred-year old building on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and N. 24th Street, Eileen houses four Airbnb apartments upstairs and two businesses below. This January marks her fourth birthday. In the four years since we opened, we have had thousands of happy guests. Our reviews speak for themselves. The renovation made her structurally sound and we preserved many historical details, but she still has a signature lean, which is why we call her Eileen.
Let your spirit play at 3S Yoga. Our guests at Eileen absolutely love being able to walk out the door of their Airbnb apartment directly to this wonderful yoga studio right below. If you haven’t checked out 3S Yoga yet, now is the perfect time. Follow them on social media to participate in giveaways throughout their birthday week kicking off this weekend. Celebrate four years with 3S through community yoga offerings, social gatherings, and more!
Vitals:
3S Yoga - Fourth Anniversary Events / Community Yoga (donation-based), Sunday, January 14 at 10:45 AM, Hardywood: 2410 Ownby Lane
Megan Wilson and her team at Sweet Talk Strategy are sharing their most successful strategies from 2023 and tons of research and education they've personally invested in to YOU. Join us for one efficient day of high-impact learning, content creation, connection, and planning for success.
You can expect to:
Kick off the year with confidence
Be able to ask the experts ANYTHING and get the answers you need
Learn about the best apps to the get the job done
Leave with templates you can use right away
Have new headshots that reflect YOU
Connect with experts in a variety of industries to strengthen your network
Create social-ready content you can use right away!
Our guests love sharing a building with North End Juice Co. There’s no better way to exude health and happiness than with breakfast or lunch from here. Whether you choose a signature smoothie (my personal favorite is the Elvis made with banana, peanut butter, chocolate whey protein, and almond milk) or one of their delicious food offerings (their avocado toast is to die for with a thin layer of garlic hummus, avocado spread, cherry tomatoes, sesame seeds, and microgreens), you really can’t go wrong with this juice bar on the corner.
Vitals:
North End Juice Co. / Church Hill Location: 2400 Jefferson Ave A / Museum District Location: 718 N. Cleveland Street
More About Eileen.
In Church Hill, cultures intersect to create one of Richmond, VA’s most diverse, hip, and walkable neighborhoods. You can catch picture perfect views of the skyline from Jefferson Park, sample cuisine from award-winning eateries, and shop to your heart’s content at local shopping boutiques.
Eileen and Church Hill have something for everyone. Situated just ten minutes from the airport and right next to downtown, staying at Eileen delivers a uniquely rich way to experience Virginia’s capital. Eileen is booking now for staycations, short-term rentals, and all things in between. Come experience Richmond through the lens of a local! Learn more, eileenrva.com.
We're thrilled to welcome Douglas Powell, artistically known as Roscoe Burnemsour, as our guest editor for our 200th volume of Here Weekly. As a celebrated spoken-word artist, poetry slam champion, and Richmond's inaugural poet laureate, his work blends humor with thought-provoking poetry, providing a refreshing and captivating narrative. Roscoe's storytelling prowess is as compelling as it is compassionate, advocating for important issues such as mental health awareness, equitable treatment, and engendering compassionate fatherhood in communities of color.
His thought-provoking collections of poetry, including God, Love, Death and Other Synonyms, Chrysalis Under Fire, and defyne, showcase his talents and passions. You can also catch him on Amazon Prime in his groundbreaking film "Traumedy," a unique blend of poetry and stand-up comedy. Today, Roscoe is here to provide suggestions for how to kick off the new year right.
Take it away, Roscoe...
defyne Book Signing
with Roscoe Burnems
Join me at Resist Booksellers tonight (Thursday, January 4th) where I'll be reading excerpts, leading discussion and Q&A, and signing copies of my newest book, defyne – a collection of compelling, vulnerable poetry and writing prompts. The evening promises to be thought-provoking as my work tackles challenging subjects and redefines how we maneuver trauma in the human experience. The event runs from 6:30 - 8:30 PM. See you there!
Vitals:
defyne Book Signing/ Thursday, January 4 at 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM / Resist Booksellers: 233 North Sycamore Street, Petersburg
RVA First Fridays
First Fridays is a showcase of the best artists and artisans in RVA. The Richmond Arts Districtopens its doors to the public to explore beautiful works of art, live entertainment, and more. Visit the galleries, shops, and restaurants for events and specials like gallery openings, live music and comedy, sidewalk sales, pop-ups, happy hour specials and more! Celebrate creativity and community at First Fridays in the Richmond Arts District.
Megan Wilson and her team at Sweet Talk Strategy are hosting their third all-day marketing conference designed for small businesses, nonprofits, and marketing professionals. From email marketing, to recession-proofing your social media, they're covering it all in this affordable and efficient workshop format.
Use code HERE for 15% off any workshop, half-day, or full-day pass.
The Writer's Den Poetry Slam is the biggest spoken-word competition in Virginia. Poets from RVA and beyond present theatrical recitations of original ranging in a myriad of topics. It's the longest running spoken-word event in Richmond, VA, and this is the FINAL qualifier! I'll be there, and hope you will too.
Vitals:
The Writer's Den Poetry Slam / Sunday, January 7, 7:00 PM doors, 8:00 PM show / Addis Ethiopian Restaurant: 9 N. 17th St, Richmond
Douglas Powell/ Roscoe Burnems - "Children of the Drum"
More About Roscoe.
Two names. Many talents. One amazing experience! We couldn't be more honored to have Richmond native Douglas Powell, artistically known as Roscoe Burnems, serve as the guest editor of the 200th issue of Here Weekly. Roscoe is a spoken-word artist, poetry slam champion, comedian, published author, educator, father, and Richmond’s inaugural poet laureate. Start your year off with poetry and watch Roscoe perform "Children of the Drum" here. And make sure to connect with Roscoe on social media @roscoeburnems and visit his website at roscoeburnems.com.
This week's guest editor is Will Melton, the founder and CEO of RVA marketing agency Xponent21 and visionary behind Richmond Water. With a true entrepreneurial spirit, Will kicked off his career in 2004, selling and servicing computers in Williamsburg, VA. In 2012, he launched his first marketing agency, later relocating to Connecticut before founding Xponent21 in 2015.
Specializing in sustainable businesses, Will and his team integrate insights, strategy, impactful messaging, and digital marketing tools to help clients succeed in the Information Age. Committed to "courageous creativity," they initiate projects like America’s Healthiest City, a grassroots effort to make RVA the healthiest U.S. region by 2033, and Richmond Water, a sustainable brand meeting local demand for eco-friendly goods.
Inspired by a ChamberRVA visit to Washington D.C., Will formed AI Ready RVA, a group preparing the community and its workforce for the future. Advocating for positive impact, Will focuses on Richmond as a model for change, aiming to inspire other communities to follow suit.
Take it away, Will ...
Chandler Matkins’ A Cold Richmond’s Night
I happened to scroll upon Chandler Matkins’ hit single Figure It Out (now exceeding 3,000,000 plays on Spotify) when I was building Richmond Water’s Instagram page. We reached out and he attended the Richmond Water launch party as one of our celebrity guests. He has been a supporter ever since. Chandler’s making-it story has twists and turns and the pandemic was likely a contributor to his rapid rise to fame. I’ll be at his show at The Camel on December 22 and hope others can come out and celebrate this local star.
Dominion Energy Gardenfest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Recently rated the top botanical garden in the United States for holiday lights by USA Today, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, run by my friend Brian Trader, is keeping its celebrated holiday light show open through January 7. With a mountain of regret for not making it to Lewis Ginter for Incanto before the exhibit closed, I won’t be going through this holiday break without paying a visit to the Gardens to see this one-million-plus light display.
I’ve always wanted to go to Burning Man, but after this year’s event was mired by unexpected torrential downpours, I am not sure I will ever have that urge again. If you have similar feelings, you might consider checking out Decemberween, an eclectic and festive celebration to ring in the new year at Diversity Richmond. The party, hosted by the Party Liberation Foundation, is a favorite for my wife Courtney and me as it coincides with the anniversary of our meeting and becoming engaged. We’ve invited friends to purchase tickets, take a look at photos from past events, and plan their outfits because it’ll be a night to remember.
Some of you have been following my journey to launch a sustainable water brand that weans Richmonders off of single-use plastic water bottles. My team and I introduced Richmond Water earlier this year with an official launch taking place this summer. Since then, we’ve brought our refillable water bottle into a dozen new retail locations and it continues to be a favorite gift for corporate events and visitors to our region.
As we set our sights on 2024, expect to see Richmond Water in more stores across the region and look out for our free refill stations soon to be at RVA’s most notorious events and, with some ambition, at stationary locations around the region. Fans and customers can also expect a new look in 2024 as we transition to our second featured artist, Matt Lively, but only after we move through our initial 25,000-bottle inventory.
After 18 years in business, one day this year I woke up and realized I should be focused on becoming a better artist, not a better business person.
I dropped out of VCU after a semester in 2003 with zero college credits. This year, I was honored to be a panelist at the VCU International Business Forum.
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