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The Devils in the Digger Details: Cinema, Censorship, and Power

"The Devils is a harsh film but it's a harsh subject. I wish the people who were horrified and appalled by it would have read the book, because the bare facts are far more horrible than anything in the film." - Ken Russell from An Appalling Talent: Ken Russell by John...

Finding A Light at Maymont’s Garden Glow

Editor's Note: This essay includes a personal account of a mental health crisis. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, support is available. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. Richmond-area...

Tim Barry Part 2 | Richmond, Family & November Fest

Tim Barry just released his ninth full album, Clear Blocks Ahead. He and I had a long, overdue conversation about everything and nothing, but sometimes about that new album. In part one of this three-part series, I brought up my first AVAIL show and found out that it...

It’s Still Our City Ep. 26 | Mac Wood & the Historic Pump House

RVA Mag and NODDERLY presents It’s Still Our City, a podcast hosted by Harrison Christy and with Clair Morgan as co-host and producer through NODDERLY. "Mac Wood is an illustrator and a welder, spending much of his time hauling racing simulators around the country...

My First Phish Show in 1994 to Photographing Them in Richmond

In 1994, while in NOVA for high school, a friend who had grown up in Vermont introduced me to a band named Phish around the release of their fifth album, Hoist, and I became obsessed. As a classical-metal-progressive rock music fan, I loved it. My first show was...

How Richmond College Students Fit Into the Growing Thrift Economy

Editor’s Note: This piece was written by a student at Randolph-Macon College as part of a feature writing course. RVA Magazine is committed to giving space to young writers across Virginia and will be publishing several student works from this class over the coming weeks. Thanks to the students and to Professor Seth Clabough, Ph.D., for...

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Richmond’s Zoning Code Refresh: Developers Know, Do You?

Most Richmonders haven’t heard about it, but the City of Richmond is rewriting the rules that will determine what can be built, and where, for decades to come. It’s called the Zoning Code Refresh, and right now, it’s quietly moving through the public comment stage. If that sounds boring, it isn’t. Zoning controls whether your neighborhood sees...

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Broke Student’s Survival Guide: Cheap Eats in Richmond 2025

If you’re a broke student back in Richmond and already sick of the dining hall’s gray meatloaf, relax, this city won’t let you starve. The food here has always been a patchwork of dives, diners, and half-chaotic kitchens that somehow keep the student body alive. You don’t need a trust fund, just a few crumpled bills and a willingness to follow...

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A Vegan Feast Awaits! Discover Delicious Options at RVA VegFest

From its humble beginnings over twenty years ago, Richmond’s vegan food festival, VegFest, is returning this weekend Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 12 PM to 6 PM in Byrd Park. VegFest is a family (and dog) friendly, free event in Richmond that promotes a plant-based diet and lifestyle, even if that just means getting the vegan option when you go...

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Broke Student’s Survival Guide: Cheap Eats in Richmond 2024

If you’re a broke student with a craving for more than just the mundane offerings of the university dining hall, Richmond’s got your back. This city, with its ever-evolving culinary landscape, is a treasure trove of hidden gems where you can eat like a king without needing a king's ransom. Nestled near the campuses of Virginia Commonwealth...

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Time For A Richmond Pizza Date!

Over the last decade Richmond has become a proper pizza town. Local pizzerias dish up a variety of styles at every price range. Pizza is the food of the people so naturally it makes a great date. You can learn a lot about a person across a slice. Are they a folder? Blotter? Do they use a knife and fork. Red flags over ketchup? Green flags of...

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We Experimented with Salvia Divinorum Back in 2008

Recently, we came across an infographic based on a 2019 study called Consciousness and Cognition conducted by Tagliazucchi and his colleagues. The study aimed to determine which psychedelic drug most closely resembles a near-death experience (NDE). They analyzed over 15,000 reports of experiences involving 165 psychoactive substances and compared...

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The Salvia experiment by RVA Mag 2008