HERE’S TO 2012

A new year means a fresh start. It’s a motivation for change, improvements, risks and results… You know what I’m getting at, right? It’s time to make those NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS!

I usually have mild success with popular choices like eat better, exercise more or be on time. My intentions are always the best, but the follow-through not so great. I refuse to set myself up for failure again in 2012, so I’m trying a new approach. Instead of focusing on myself, I’m going to focus on my surroundings.

My new year’s resolution is to explore the city I call home. Traveling somewhere exotic in the new year is usually favored to staying home, but then you just end up exploring other cities more than our own. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day and forget to experience our neighborhood. That’s how it is for me and I’m going to change it with you as my witness. I’m setting the manageable goal of 1 RVA exploration per month. I’ll check them off and you check back to see my discoveries.

Goodbye guilt, hello victory! My 12 RVA destinations for 2012 (in no particular order):

01. “American Letterpress: The Art of Hatch Show Print” – So, maybe I should have said the list isn’t in order with the exception of number one because “American Letterpress: The Art of Hatch Show Print” is only on display for a few more weeks. I’ll go, you go, we’ll all go to the Library of Virginia to see traveling exhibition celebrating American graphic art tradition, presented by The Smithsonian Institution in partnership with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Hatch Show Print, out of Nashville, TN, has been producing iconic pieces for more than 130 years keeping the tactile appeal of letterpress printing alive and well in this digital age. The Library of Virginia has a collection of more than 75 Hatch Show Print posters and prints on display through Saturday, February 4, 2012. See you there soon!

Through February 4, 2012 | Monday – Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St. | Richmond, VA 23219 | (804) 692-3500
Admission and parking are free

02. Virginia Wine Expo – I’ve been to wineries, I’ve been to wine country, but I’ve never been to a wine expo. Coming to the Greater Richmond Convention Center Friday, February 24 – Sunday, February 26, 2012 is Virginia’s premier wine event exclusively featuring Virginia wine. The Virginia Wine Expo showcases hundreds of bottles of wine from the Commonwealth, gourmet tasting menus from local chefs and educational seminars focusing on wine pairings. Ticket packages are available for single events, various combinations, as well as for groups on Saturday and Sunday.

February 24-26, 2012
Greater Richmond Convention Center
403 N. Third St. | Richmond, VA 23219 | (804) 783-7300

03. Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k – This won’t be the first time I’ve participated in this race, but it’s an RVA event not to be missed. The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k, organized by Sports Backers, has become one of the country’s premier 10k races. Participation continues to grow every year with a projection of 42,500 entries for 2012. All levels are welcome including a special run for the young ones. Even if you’re not running in race, you can’t avoid the contagious excitement it creates. There are costume contests, spectator spirit awards, and lots of local music. Sign up now before the entry fee increases!

March 31, 2012
Starts at Broad St. & Harrison St.
http://www.sportsbackers.org

04. The Jazz Café – The newly renovated Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) has recently been making a name for itself in the art community with world-renowned special exhibitions and a remarkable permanent collection. Now with extended hours on Thursdays and Fridays, VMFA After Dark makes it even easier to experience the galleries, restaurants and museum gift shop as well as a calendar filled with music, films and poetry readings. I’ve taken advantage of the late closing several times, but I’ve yet to get lucky finding a table to sip my wine and enjoy The Jazz Café. Every Thursday night from 6-9 p.m.. in the Best Café, the VMFA, in conjunction with the Richmond Jazz Society, presents a sampling of original and standards from various jazz ensembles – free of charge. It’s always a packed house and I’m determined to find room in it.

Thursdays | 6-9 p.m.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts – Best Café
200 N. Boulevard | Richmond, VA 23220 | (804) 340-1400
Free admission

05. [Re-discover] Carytown – “A Mile of Style” is a long-time shopping destination with its eclectic mix of boutiques, antiques, restaurants, specialty shops and entertainment. As a teenager, Carytown was always a popular pick for a Saturday trip into the city, but since I’ve moved to the same side of the river my visits have become a lot less frequent. With the exception of a quick lunch or a matinee movie I’ve been keeping tabs on Carytown as I drive through it. From a car is no way to see this unique neighborhood. I’m getting out my most comfortable pair of fashionable boots for a good walk and window shop. Watch out Need Supply Co. and Plan Nine, here I come… they’re still there right?

W. Cary Street between Thompson St. and Boulevard
Free off-street parking

06. Chimborazo Medical History Museum – This National Parks Service Richmond Battlefield Site is a museum and visitor center. The Chimborazo Medical History Museum sits on what used to be the largest civil war hospital of the era. The museum’s exhibits focus mostly on the confederate medical story and the lives of the people who populated the Chimborazo Hospital. Chimborazo Park, which now surrounds the museum, is on my daily dog-walking route and every time I pass it I think the same thing, if I didn’t have Lou (dog) with me, I would stop today. I’m going to take a walk on my own or convince them to allow dogs so I can get a dose of history in my hood.

Chimborazo Medical Museum | 3215 East Broad Street | Richmond, VA 23223 | (804) 226-1981
Open daily| 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

07. Ronnie’s Ribs, Wings & Other Things – You’re familiar with a food cart and you know what a food truck is, but Ronnie’s Ribs is more like a food trailer. The semi-permanent rib joint, situated at the far east end of Main Street, is nationally recognized from the Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”. This is the kind of place you eat BBQ and all the fixin’s off your lap in a casual, cookout atmosphere that makes finger licking commonplace. When you don’t want to stand in line at Millie’s Diner, walk across the street to Ronnie’s Ribs for pitmaster perfection.

Ronnie’s Ribs, Wings & Other Things, 2512 East Main Street  Richmond, VA 23223 | (804) 308-7524
Open daily

08. St. John’s Church Reenactment – Giving name to the Church Hill neighborhood where it is located, St. John’s Church is both an active Episcopal Church and a National Historic Landmark. Made famous as the site of Patrick Henry’s 1775 “Give me liberty or give me death” speech, the church is a living memorial to American liberty. There are regular public reenactments of the Second Virginia Convention of March 1775 with debating delegates that culminates in Henry’s immortal delivery. The summer series is the most regular schedule with a performance every Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day (full calendar online), so I’m shooting for warm weather visit.

St. John’s Church
2319 East Broad Street | Richmond, VA  23223 | (804) 648-5015

09. New Food Festival – The Richmond Region has a rich food culture with LOTS of food festivals to choose from… and I like food of any variety. I’ve had reoccurring success attending the Italian, Irish, Greek and, the relatively new, Broad Appétit festivals, but there are so many more to check out. The Korean Food Festival was a first for me last year and now I have my sights on adding the Lebanese or Indian food festivals to my repertoire.

Some people call them cultural festivals but they’re not fooling me. You can get a good cross section of local food festivals from the Cultural Festivals Sampler online at http://www.visitrichmondva.com.

10. The Poe Museum – I honestly can’t tell you why I have never visited The Museum of Edgar Allan Poe. I’ve lived in several cities that take claim to him – Baltimore, Providence, Philadelphia, and, of course, Richmond, but I’ve never ventured farther than the museum gift shop. The Poe Museum boasts it is “The World’s Finest Edgar Allan Poe Collection,” focusing on his many years in Richmond, VA, and The Old Stone House, where the museum lives, is in Poe’s original Richmond neighborhood. I’ve gotta go and what could be a more appropriate day than Halloween to learn about the master of horror and dark? I’m penciling this in for October.

Edgar Allan Poe Museum
1914 East Main Street Richmond, VA 23223-6964 | (804) 648-5523
Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

11. Sunday Champagne Brunch at the Jefferson – Ever want to wow an out-of-town guest? I’m thinking Sunday Champagne Brunch at The Jefferson is the way to do it. The Jefferson Hotel is well known as the finest hotel in Richmond and their brunch has become local tradition. Every week offers a different menu with dishes made from Virginia’s best seasonal ingredients. A suggestion the experience will be one to remember and a warning to make reservations early say special occasion to me.

The Jefferson
101 West Franklin St | Richmond, Virginia 23220 |  (804) 649-4677
Sunday Reservation times: 10:30, 11:00, 1:00 and 1:30

12. RVA on Ice – This will be the second year in a row RVA on Ice has appeared on my list of new year’s resolutions and, fingers-crossed, the third year it will be in operation. With only a seasonal window to take advantage of the outdoor ice skating rink it can easily slip by in the holiday bustle. The rink is located in the heart of Downtown at Richmond Centerstage with a season usually starting the day after Thanksgiving and lasting through the first weekend in January. Even though my husband is a talented ice hockey player I’ve only been skating once. So, I’ve been dying to experience RVA on Ice because I can’t think of a better place to learn. How long to January 2013?

RVA on Ice
6th & Broad Streets | (804) 592-3400

Here’s to a great 2012!

Susan Wolfe is a native of Chesterfield County
A graduate of the Corcoran College of Art & Design, Washington, DC
Marketing and Design Manager for the Greater Richmond Chamber
A Church Hill resident

Mediterranean Magic at Stella’s

One of my favorite Richmond events is the Greek Festival, my only destination for really great, really authentic specialties like spanikopita, tiropita and moussaka. Until now. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still go to the festival for the wonderful food, atmosphere and people watching, but now, I’ve found a place to satisfy my appetite for Greek year round. How have I not discovered Stella’s before now? It could be the fact that this reincarnation of the Richmond-famous restaurant (originally established in 1983) just opened in July or it could be the tucked away location on a mostly residential street in the near West End. Whatever the excuse, my taste buds are thankful for the holiday luncheon, hosted by the marketing firm, 93 Octane, that finally brought me there. The party started with appetizers of tiropita, a blend of feta wrapped in phylo, and the saganaki, a flaming plate of kefalograviera cheese. I refrained myself from gobbling every morsel and licking the plate in front of my fellow guests, but barely. I’m glad I saved room for the main course and dessert, though. The magical meal continued with a lunch special, an eggplant casserole with a warm and creamy filling of eggplant, feta and leeks topped with more of that crunchy, delicate phylo and accompanied by their classic Greek salad with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and more feta. Have I mentioned how much I love feta? Since this plate was all mine, I had no problem eating every crumb. And of course, no Greek meal is complete without the honey and nut filled goodness of some homemade baklava. Stella’s version takes it up a notch with the addition of dried apricots, and the touch of tart in all that gooey sweetness made it the best baklava I’ve ever had. My lunch companions’ meals – from the Constantine sandwich with zucchini fritters to the aromatic souvlaki pita – received high praise as well, and the place was packed with happy diners including at least one local celebrity. This little jewel clearly doesn’t need to be in the middle of Richmond’s restaurant corridor…their outstanding Greek cuisine and casually elegant ambiance will keep its customers coming back for more.

Stella’s
1012 Lafayette Street
Richmond, VA 23221
(804) 358-2011

Carla Murray is Assistant Director of Marketing & PR for Maymont. She is a Richmond native and a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate. She lives in New Kent with her husband, two daughters, a dog, a cat and a turtle. Some of her favorite activities include letterboxing, long walks, Cirque du Soleil shows, wine tastings, reading novels, and spending time with family and friends.

GardenFest of Lights: Guaranteed Kid Pleaser

When you tell a two year old you’re going to see lots of lights in a garden, the reaction is part excitement and part confusion. When I told Norah we were going with her best friend Nina and her family, the reaction was ecstatic. With great anticipation and lots of bundling (it took a lot of explaining to convince a 2 year old to wear two pairs of paints) we headed out.

As always, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden delivered. The squeals of delight when Norah and Nina reunited at the garden entrance set the stage. They quickly hopped in the double stroller—provided for free by the garden, which is so awesome—snuggled under some blankets, and we hit the garden.

First stop was a photo op in front of the LOVE letters… Virginia is for Lovers of lights and two-year-old besties. We strolled on through a tunnel made of a lighted peacock’s tail, past a lion and several butterflies, down what I called candy cane way and across the bridge to the Children’s Garden. Game over stroller. Norah and Nina bolted out and ran all through the carrots and tunnels and straight up to the top of the tree house at full tilt. More squeals of delight. They came hurtling back down, ran through a maze, back across the bridge and up the hill to see the trains. (In addition to beautiful lights, GardenFest is great for wearing out the kiddos.)

Elaborate train sets run in the education building. This is a great opportunity to thaw out indoors and was a home run for the girls. They loved pressing the buttons to make different parts of the scene move. We coaxed them out with promises of pink Christmas trees in the Conservatory. The Conservatory’s cottage was the biggest hit. The girls spent a lot of time peeking in at the woodland creatures and asking burning questions about the pigeon mail carrier and candy on the table.

About this time we were fast approaching dinner and bedtime. Against their wills, we took the girls home. But we’ll be back next year for sure. All the parents, grandmother and aunt in tow also had a fantastic time. I’m ready to make it an official holiday tradition.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Dominion GardenFest of Lights 2011
Through Jan. 9, 2012 (Closed Dec. 24 & 25)
1800 Lakeside Avenue
Richmond, VA 23228
804-262-9887

Katherine O’Donnell loves Richmond and promoting it to visitors during her job as Director of Marketing at the RMCVB. A North Carolina native, Katherine has lived in Richmond since her undergrad days at the University of Richmond. (Go Spiders!) She lives in the West End with her husband, Darby, and daughter, Norah.

Mummies Among Us at VMFA

Who isn’t a little fascinated by ancient Egyptian culture? They built giant pyramids without the aid of modern machines, mummified the dead in pursuit of eternal life, and maintained a civilization for 3,000 years. They produced rock star royalty, including King Tut and Cleopatra, and their hieroglyphs were one of the first, and most artistic, forms of written communication. Lucky for Richmond, for the next few months we don’t have to travel 6,800 miles to see some relics of this super society for ourselves. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has brought mummies, masks, jewelry and jars across the pond from the British Museum for Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb, a temporary exhibit complemented by a 21-minute 3D movie. With a surprising mix of history and humor, the film shows the amazing technology used to uncover the secrets of a mummy without removing one precious layer of linen from his body. Then in the great hall of artifacts, the mummy itself is displayed in an elaborately decorated coffin, surrounded by other mummies – human and animal – as well as sculptures and necessities for the afterlife. It was mere coincidence that I read The Red Pyramid, Rick Riordan’s teen novel based on Egyptian mythology, right before I saw the exhibit, but I appreciated having the background as I studied ancient artwork featuring Anubis, Horace, Osiris and other gods. I also recognized the shabtis, small servant figurines expected to do the manual labor for pharaohs in the land of the dead, and a large statue of the cat goddess, Bastet. From the palm-sized baboon amulet to the eight-foot-tall sarcophagus lid of Pakap, each spectacular discovery brings Egypt’s captivating world of burial rituals and magical practices back to life and right here to our doorstep.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb
Through March 11, 2012
200 N. Boulevard
Richmond, Virginia USA  23220-4007
(804) 340-1400

Carla Murray is Assistant Director of Marketing & PR for Maymont. She is a Richmond native and a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate. She lives in New Kent with her husband, two daughters, a dog, a cat and a turtle. Some of her favorite activities include letterboxing, long walks, Cirque du Soleil shows, wine tastings, reading novels, and spending time with family and friends.

RVA on Ice: Bringing family fun to Downtown Richmond

I have a confession to make: I am a total sucker for anything vaguely yuletide in nature.

Christmas trees? Love them.

Giant inflatable Santas on your front lawn? I support you.

Christmas songs? That’s me you hear singing…and probably sobbing.

So imagine my utter joy when the time came for my husband and me to take our three-year-old son to RVA on Ice at Richmond CenterStage for his first ice skating experience.
Located downtown at 6th and Broad Streets, RVA on Ice is Richmond’s seasonal ice skating rink, now in its second year of operation. It opened just before Christmas of 2010, bringing to life Mayor Dwight Jones’s vision of an outdoor skating rink in the city. As Mayor Jones explained last year, “Our downtown is growing more alive and vibrant and this new activity is a great addition to downtown attractions that everyone can enjoy.”

Well, I need to write Mayor Jones a thank you note because our time at RVA on Ice was holiday perfection.

We ended up going on a Thursday night (a week after this season’s opening ceremonies) in an effort to avoid the major crowds. Lucky for us, there was no wait at all. It took all of five minutes for us to buy our admission tickets at the CenterStage box office, sign our waivers, and select our skates before making our way over to the changing area.
RVA on Ice offers skates as small as a child’s size 9. My son wears an 8, so we just brought a couple extra pairs of socks to get a better fit. I recommend that adults do this too; the skates available for rental are the boot/buckle variety (rather than lace-up), so it can be kind of tricky to make sure they’re secure and comfortable.

As we hobbled over to the rink, my son was beside himself with the festivities around us. A Christmas tree! Lights! A giant snowman! A fire pit! Christmas music! He hadn’t even seen the rink yet and he was about to lose his mind.

You probably won’t be shocked by the news that a three-year-old isn’t exactly graceful on the ice. Nevertheless, he was such a trooper and completely content to hold our hands as we pulled him along with us. Everyone was very considerate of each other (even the crazy teens, for the most part), and we were able to keep a slow and steady pace with each lap.

Our decision to hold off a week to avoid a massive crowd was on point; there were just enough people to give it a nice community feel but not so many that we felt like our kid was going to get run over.

All told, we probably only made four or five full trips around the ice before sensing that the need for dinner and bedtime would soon overtake our son’s enthusiastic mood. But we didn’t mind. Sharing such a fantastic holiday experience surrounded by the city we love all lit up for the season was all we were shooting for — and that’s just what we got. In fact, our son spent the entire car ride home shouting, “Mama! That was SO much fun! Wasn’t that fun, Dada?! I can’t wait for when we go back tomorrow!”

Thanks so much, Mayor Jones.

RVA on Ice is open Wednesday through Friday from 4pm to 10pm, on Saturdays from 10am to 10pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 6pm.
Special holiday hours are…
December 19-23: Noon to 10pm
December 24: Noon to 8pm
December 25: 4pm to 10pm
December 26-January 1: Noon to 10pm
The rink closes for the season on January 2.

General admission is $5. Military and senior citizens over 60 are $4. Children 10 and under are free. Skate rental is $5 per visit or $3 for children 10 and under.

RVA on Ice
6th & Broad Streets
804-592-3400

Valerie Catrow is the former editor of RVANews and a current contributor to their parenting column, Raising Richmond. A Richmonder through-and-through, she grew up in Midlothian, graduated from the University of Richmond, and currently lives on the city’s Northside with her husband, Ross, and their son, JR. You can see what she’s up to on a day-to-day basis on her personal blog: Made in Richmond.

La Parisienne is Très Bonne

I love the romantic sound of the French language, but I don’t know much about French food. My encounters with the cuisine are typically limited to an occasional breakfast croissant. After a recent visit to La Parisienne Bistro & Café, however, I’m ready for more. This sleek new restaurant shines in the midst of Richmond’s downtown high rises with its floor to ceiling windows, luscious display of pastries and artfully arranged meals. It’s easy to see why locals are raving. The line for counter-side ordering was fairly long when I arrived, and patrons continued to stream in throughout the meal. My Croque Monsiuer, a hot ham and Gruyère cheese sandwich, was more sophisticated than the French fast food version with its topping of béchamel sauce and a cornichon (miniature pickle). And I was happy to find fresh green vegetables like asparagus, wilted spinach and my choice, a refreshing house salad, on the list of side dishes. I also enjoyed a taste of my friend’s Crêpe À La Riene, a generous portion filled with pulled chicken in a mushroom veloute, which was delectable. The bistro was out of the to-die-for cream puffs I had read so much about, but two éclairs – one with chocolate mousse filling, the other with vanilla pudding filling – satisfied our French pastry craving that day. The elusive cream puff is just one of the many excuses to visit this enticing eatery again…and again. Don’t be scared by the downtown parking – there were at least two public parking decks in the immediate vicinity, and a metered spot was easy to find right before noon.

La Parisienne serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekdays (hours vary), and there’s live jazz every Thursday evening.

La Parisienne Bistro & Café

200 S. 10th St.
Richmond, VA 23219
804-225-0225
www.laparisiennebistro.com

Carla Murray is Assistant Director of Marketing & PR for Maymont. She is a Richmond native and a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate. She lives in New Kent with her husband, two daughters, a dog, a cat and a turtle. Some of her favorite activities include letterboxing, long walks, Cirque du Soleil shows, wine tastings, reading novels, and spending time with family and friends.

Family Fun with Frog and Toad

“I’m the snail with the mail, I’ll deliver without fail.” We’ve been singing that country tune every half hour since we saw Theatre IV’s production of A Year with Frog and Toad at the Barksdale Theater on Friday. The sweet play about two forever friends did, indeed, deliver – it delivered lots of laughs, tender moments and a memorable evening for our family complete with huge hugs and shouts of “Thank You” and “Best Night Ever!” My youngest daughter, Norah, and I are big fans of the Frog and Toad stories by Arnold Lobel, so when I learned that the musical was coming to Barksdale, I knew we had to see it. Leading up to the show, we re-read our Adventures of Frog and Toad collection, which paid off when Norah giggled in anticipation and whispered about what was coming next throughout the show. My oldest daughter, Aly, was a little leery when she looked around the small theater and noticed that she was among the oldest kids (at age 10) there, but by intermission, her doubt had been replaced with excited observations. The production stays true to Lobel’s simple story of friendship and life lessons with whimsical song and dance numbers to hold the youngsters’ attention. Though the costumes weren’t literal (you won’t see a giant frog or toad on stage), they were fun interpretations with Frog and Toad in their requisite green and brown suits, birds in bright outfits with feather accents, a turtle holding a shell-painted umbrella, and moles wearing dark, round glasses. Then there was the “snail with the mail” – a cowboy with a country twang, a rolled-up sleeping bag on his back, and slick Western boots – who appeared throughout the night and stole the show for us (even though it did take almost a year to deliver that letter). We’ll be singing his song for months! Our favorite number was Getta Loada Toad based on the story A Swim. Toad’s head pokes out behind a lily pad as the animals gather round to see his funny swimsuit, and he learns not to take himself too seriously. After the performance, the girls were over the moon to meet the five-member cast for photos and autographs.

A Year with Frog and Toad begins as the duo wakes up in the spring and ends with falling snow and an ode to Christmas. What a wonderful way to get into the spirit of the Holidays!

A Year with Frog and Toad
Presented By Theatre IV, showing at Barksdale Theater at Willow Lawn
November 4 – December 31
804-282-2620
www.theatreivrichmond.org

Carla Murray is Assistant Director of Marketing & PR for Maymont. She is a Richmond native and a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate. She lives in New Kent with her husband, two daughters, a dog, a cat and a turtle. Some of her favorite activities include letterboxing, long walks, Cirque du Soleil shows, wine tastings, reading novels, and spending time with family and friends.

On the River at Conch Republic

It’s so nice to see Richmond taking advantage of its greatest natural resource, the James River. For years, the city’s riverfront was nearly deserted. If you weren’t a die-hard adventure seeker, you had little opportunity to see and experience the pulsing vein running through our midst. But thank goodness, times have changed. We now have the Canal Walk, boat tours, museums and the Richmond Folk Festival bringing new life and thousands of visitors to Richmond’s section of the river. Fantastic restaurants with river views have been popping up everywhere, as well, including the island-inspired Conch Republic Rocketts.  Touting a Florida Keys vibe, this waterfront venue makes the most of its setting with a large wraparound deck and garage door style windows that were opened wide on a recent 75-degrees and sunny day. Located just east of city center, Conch Republic offers a view of the Richmond skyline and is situated in the center of the growing urban community of restaurants, condos and townhomes at Rocketts Landing. The menu includes fresh seafood and plenty of other options with sides ranging from mango slaw to gator chili. I had the Blackened Mahi Wrap, a light, fresh lunch choice served with a tangy Creole remoulade, but the star on my plate was the side of warm, flavorful fried plantains. They were quite possibly the best plantains I’ve ever had. With its hip industrial, yet airy, atmosphere, I would imagine that Conch Republic Rocketts is a super-cool spot for happy hour or a romantic dinner at sunset, and it’s location lends itself to meals on the way to or from the plantations in Charles City or wineries in New Kent.

Conch Republic Rocketts
11 Orleans Street
Richmond, VA 23231
804-226-6242
www.conchrepublicrocketts.com

Carla Murray is Assistant Director of Marketing & PR for Maymont. She is a Richmond native and a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate. She lives in New Kent with her husband, two daughters, a dog, a cat and a turtle. Some of her favorite activities include letterboxing, long walks, Cirque du Soleil shows, wine tastings, reading novels, and spending time with family and friends.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, RVA!

As my son’s third birthday quickly approaches, I feel like now is the time to start getting into the spirit of things. You see, up until now, we played the “Eh, he’s not going to remember it” card on most holidays and special occasions. We’d still celebrate, of course, just in the most no-fuss way possible.

Since there’s a slight chance my son will actually remember this Halloween, I decided it was time to bid adieu to our days of picking out our pumpkin at Kroger and go for it: a visit to a pumpkin patch.

Richmond has quite a few pumpkin patches and farms to choose from, but we ended up going to Gallmeyer Farms because 1) that’s where my son’s little toddler friends were going that day (who am I to argue?) and 2) their website described it as a “low-key ‘on the farm’ family experience.” I didn’t want my son’s first real taste of Halloween to be too overwhelming, so this sounded just perfect.

It was. In fact, I think Gallmeyer Farms might have established itself as a new Catrow Family Tradition.

Gallmeyer Farms is located off South Laburnum Road, about 15 minutes outside of the city — just far enough away from Richmond proper that you feel like you’re really getting away from the hustle and bustle, but not too far that you have to make an entire day of it. If you’re not familiar with that part of town, don’t worry about getting lost. The farm’s signage is easy to spot, and staffers are decked out in bright orange hats, ready to greet you and help you park. From there you can either head right over to the pumpkin patch (located just across the street) or check out the hay maze, playground, or what they call “the romping pile” which is essentially a big tower of hay bales that the kids can climb on until they are delightfully filthy and exhausted.

We got there at around 10am on a Monday morning and opted to start off with a hayride around the farm to see where we would be picking our pumpkins. From what I could tell, the gentlemen driving the tractors were about as legit as you can get when it comes to a true “on the farm” experience: men of few words but incredibly kind and patient with the kids.

One quick note about the hayride…they do take you through a “spooky” tunnel of sorts, with flashing lights and a creepy soundtrack playing. Since it was daytime and my son isn’t quite yet aware of the fact that things like bats and skeletons are supposed to be scary, it wasn’t a big issue. However, I could see it being unnerving for the very early elementary set — particularly if your kiddo happens to be a bit skittish.

After our quick loop around the farm in the tractor, we rounded everyone up to head over to the pumpkin patch. Gallmeyer Farms generously provides wheelbarrows and wagons free of charge, so wrangling a gaggle of kids (ranging in ages from three months to three years) across the street and over to the pumpkin field was a piece of cake.

Groups from several daycares and preschools joined us in the pumpkin patch, but the Gallmeyers have enough land that we hardly noticed them. They’ve also got a great selection with pumpkins ranging from two pounds to over 100.

Our little ones spent about an hour happily moseying along the rows (and climbing on as many “BIG PUNKINS” as possible), and each family left with more than its fair share of loot. Luckily, Gallmeyer Farms only charges $.59 per pound, so my family’s haul of three decent-sized pumpkins (and a impulse buy of six small gourds) cost us just around $15.

The Gallmeyer Farms Pumpkin Patch is free and open to the public every day from 8am until dusk through October 31^st. They’ve also got a great veggie stand offering fresh produce grown on site. And if you don’t make it out there this Fall, be sure to head back in the Spring to pick fresh strawberries for just $2.39 per pound.

Gallmeyer Farms Pumpkin Patch & Veggie Stand
4506 Millers Lane
804-222-2285
www.gallmeyerfarms.com

Valerie Catrow is the former editor of RVANews and a current contributor to their parenting column, Raising Richmond. A Richmonder through-and-through, she grew up in Midlothian, graduated from the University of Richmond, and currently lives on the city’s Northside with her husband, Ross, and their son, JR. You can see what she’s up to on a day-to-day basis on her personal blog: Made in Richmond.

I Will Remember the Alamo

It seems everyone has an opinion about barbecue. Vinegar or tomato based…pulled or chopped…sauced or rubbed…grilled or roasted. And here in the South, people take their barbecue and their opinions very seriously. But for this Southern girl, a good barbecue sandwich is a good barbecue sandwich. Give me a hearty helping of meat and a little sauce on a fresh sandwich bun and I’m happy. If you’ve got coleslaw to top it off, even better. Alamo BBQ delivered all that and more. Located on Jefferson Avenue in Church Hill, this little counter-service restaurant was already hopping with customers when I arrived at noon. According to my fellow diner and Church Hill resident, there is always a line for lunch and dinner (a good sign!). Orders were taken quickly, making the wait relatively short. Seating is under a tent in front of the ode-to-the-Alamo storefront, but the pretty green lawns of Jefferson Park, just steps away, looked perfect for a picnic lunch too. Along with my pulled pork sandwich (tender meat, just the right amount of tomato-based sauce and coleslaw), I had a side of potato salad – a plentiful serving mixed with bits of celery in a creamy mustard sauce. It was tasty, but I might try the Texas caviar, a black bean and corn salad, on my next visit. A refreshing limeade, included in the combo, was a perfect complement to the meal. The Texas Train Wreck (choice of meat over mac & cheese, cowboy beans and cornbread topped with diced onions and jalapenos) and the blackened tilapia tacos both received glowing praise from my fellow diners. And unlike many barbecue restaurants I’ve visited, the Alamo offers a vegetarian Portobello sandwich, and I bet the Train Wreck and the quesadillas could be served meat-less as well. Barbecue is one of the few meals that my whole family enjoys, so I’m sure we will soon take advantage of the Alamo Dinner option – one and a half pounds of pulled pork or chicken, four large fresh baked buns, a pint of slaw, two pints of sides and sauce for just $25.

Alamo BBQ
2202 Jefferson Ave.
Richmond, VA 23223
804-592-3138
www.alamobbqva.com

Carla Murray is Assistant Director of Marketing & PR for Maymont. She is a Richmond native and a Virginia Commonwealth University graduate. She lives in New Kent with her husband, two daughters, a dog, a cat and a turtle. Some of her favorite activities include letterboxing, long walks, Cirque du Soleil shows, wine tastings, reading novels, and spending time with family and friends.