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Best of RVA Missed Connections: July 4 – July 10

RVA Staff | July 10, 2018

Topics: Barns & Noble, best of missed connections, Hardywood Brewery, missed connections, Short Pump

Trying to reconnect with old friends or lovers? Looking for the perfect place for your inebriated midnight ramblings? Missed Connections is your place. In addition to those lovely contributions, we’ve got a girl looking for some queer love at Hardywood, another hoping to score with an Uber driver, and someone missing a bearded face with those seductive eyes spotted at the waterpark.

Looking 4 cute girl/possible lesbian at hardywood (Richmond Hardywood)

I first saw you when I was leaving the bathroom then again when you were standing in front of the band with 2 of your friends. You were wearing a button up with what looked like little rainbows on it and black shorts, you have brown hair and you had it down. I was the girl sitting behind you on a towel my hair was curly and pulled back and I was wearing black shorts and a shirt with an American flag but one of the stripes was rainbow. I thought you were really pretty but I didn’t have the nerve to approach you at the time, I tried looking for you but it was too crowded so this is me taking a risk. If you’re out there send me a message, I would love to get in touch with you.

Reply to post here.

Uber Driver…. Tipped you twice (short pump)

You picked me up Friday 6/29 and took me to the Grocery Store. I really enjoyed talking with you, so much so I would like to get to know you better, In fact, I can’t stop thinking about you. The only way I know how to reach out to you was to double tip you. If your interested, Put how much I tipped you in the subject line. By-the-Way, my Heart is sending your Heart a big Hug

Reply to post here.

Bama (Richmond)

You were the first awesome person I met in Virginia. We were close friends for quite a while and I didn’t think you wanted it any different….I miss you a lot sometimes and I wonder if you think about me. You probably don’t get on here much but since I can’t talk to you, I figured, why not? Hope you and her are doing okay. Wish you the best of luck even if it wasn’t with me.

-A

Reply to post here.

The girl at Barnes and Noble (Willow Lawn)

You came up to me and we chatted a little about books. You seem interested but I was an idiot and didn’t get your number.I hope you see this and message me.

Reply to post here.

missed the BuS

writing different letters to you. by different, i mean in my head, the notes app on my phone…. but i often yearn for my more direct communication. the letters have different tones, but mainly they are black-and-white. what are the products of our interactions? i do not mind arguing or discussing, i do enjoy talking to you, sincerely. the products of our interactions… i lash out often. venom in the snake or the tail of a scorpion. currently processing the last six months of my life. there is a lot of regret at the bottom pit of my stomach, which is the product of lashing out. specifix are for tabloids and drunk conversations. i still feel and think (and feel with the thinking) of when our eyes have met (which is before meeting). the power of a body to remember a sensation! i know that you are a thoughtful person. to be honest… it is endearing when people complain about you. (endearing meaning humorous… specific to you….) yes, we can or could be friends, in any time, zone, place, dimension, whatever you wish to measure. though, your Suggestion was untimely. I am still interested (and interested in you, perhaps with a new connotation from the previous query….) hearing your side of things, from our inStances of friction. regrets.. regress… regret again. i could sit next to you, while you are working on something, and call it meditation. it is nice joking with you, and i feel we have a similar language. finding it difficult to reach out, in lieu of some realizations about myself and my (friendly) relationships with others. the parasitism, the lack of response to times of extreme loneliness and desperation, giving more than i am getting….. but i do think you gave back to me, perhaps in different ways than I expected at different times. should you feel inSpired again.. or think of me SuBlimely as you’ve done, it would be refreshing to receive a text or an email from you….

Reply to post here.

Waterpark

Missed connection.

You- Tall handsome. Long beard. Gorgeous smile. Seductive eyes. White tank top and trunks.

I saw you when you left.

Maybe I’ll see you next lifetime? Who knows?

Reply to post here.

 

Photo: Hardywood Craft Brewery

Best of RVA Missed Connections: June 20 – June 26

RVA Staff | June 26, 2018

Topics: Ipanema Cafe, missed connections, Sheetz, Short Pump, Walmart

Apparently there are some gorgeous mega babes in Richmond just walking around, smoking, and doing their jobs without anyone’s permission. Rude. Also, if you’re planning on stealing shit from people in the West End, get ready to meet some serious saucy sarcasm. Contrary to popular belief, West Enders can throw shade. (Also West Enders, be on the lookout, I think y’all have a stalker in your midst. Avoid the Short Pump Walmart.) We’ve also got some body positivity flying around this week, so shoutout to all the thick ladies killing it out there.

VCU school of dentistry (VCU)

I have no idea what your name is but you work at the check in desk for VCU dentistry and you’re are a gorgeous man. Not expecting this to go anywhere but damn I love checking in for my dental work. Would be amazing if you saw this and emailed.

You are tall white dark hair and were wearing a black polo.

Reply to post here.

Nice looking woman, in White Jeans, Blondish hair! (Walmart/Short Pump)

I am not sure you will see this, but hope so! You were in Walmart in Short Pump, you had on white pants and a Black top, I could not take my eyes off you, we kinda bumped into each other 3 times, at first when I came in the store, and then the baby’s clothes, and you then came over to the Movies section and Tv area, but I would love to talk to you and meet you if you are interested? Please reply back and I will send my phone number, this was around 12 noon honey, hope you see this! It was on Sunday, the 17th !

Reply to post here.

Blonde boy at Ipanema karaoke night

You are a mega babe. We talked for a minute but I was meeting a “friend” (tinder date). Smoked a cigarette in the rain. Told jokes. You smoke American spirits. Your name is Daniel but you prefer to be called something else I can’t remember. Come find meeee.

Reply to post here.

Older lady from goochland (Louisa)

We met at gas station while back I took you to my place an you blew my mind you mid 50s. Me early 40s. You were married. Love to do it again send pic

Reply to post here.

Doctor

Dear future doctor. A few weeks ago, I left my power wheels jeep outside Crestview Elem. School. By the time I came back, you had stolen THREE batteries and took the front of it apart. I know, you were probably going to bible study, from your life changing meeting at Starbucks, to protest against being forced to not study in high school, and the batteries ended up with you. If you could find it in your perpetual victim-hood heart, to return the batteries, I know I can find it in my heart to forgive you.

Reply to post here.

To the woman with the big butt that walks through the neighborhood (Mechanicsville)

You show it off. And have every right to!

Reply to post here.

Woodfin boys (Chik Fil A)

Yo. You two were hot as hell! A red beard and a blackbeard. Too bad I had just finished eating, cause that’s one sandwich I would love to get a taste of.  I smell an HVAC “emergency” on the horizon.

Reply to post here.

Doc in a box (Chesterfield)

I brought two sick kids to a local walk-in clinic. We got lucky, it was early and the place was empty, we got you. You were witty, engaging, and i honestly had a bit of trouble looking away. We talked all through two exams and you would come back to chat whilst tests were running. I even found out about your childhood hobby of beanie babies. It was really nice, making you laugh like that, your bright, shining eyes and easy manner. I would love the opportunity to make you laugh some more, sometime. Perhaps you would tell me what the girls were sick with, if you remember, so I know it’s you.

Reply to post here.

Photo: Ipanema Facebook

Spoonbread Bistro Scoops Up Second Location

Sarah Kerndt | June 15, 2018

Topics: Fan, French cuisine, Good Eats, rva eats, rvadine, Short Pump, Southern comfort food, Spoonbread Bistro

“We opened September the 20, 2016. It was supposed to open for lunch, but we never got the chance to open for lunch because dinner took off like gangbusters and we could never get to the lunch, and we still haven’t gotten to lunch.”

Those are the words of Spoonbread Bistro’s owner and Executive Chef Michael Hall, describing the boom in business that occurred upon the opening of the first Spoonbread Bistro location in The Fan in summer 2016. Richmond took to Chef Hall’s fusion of Southern Comfort food and upscale French cuisine like wildfire, sparking incredible amounts of business and growth for the restaurant. 

And now, the man who was behind M Wine Bistro in Rocketts Landing, and the former chef at 2300 Club in Church Hill, will expand his business west with Spoonbread Deux this weekend in the former Patina Grill location.

The original location at Floyd Avenue has been a popular spot for Richmond residents, and a highlight of Richmond Black Restaurant Experience each year, but where on earth did such a combination of cuisine come from? Chef Hall, a Richmond native who grew up in Church Hill, said it started with his mother’s cooking. “My love has always been my mom’s cooking, so you know, corn pudding, you see us have collard greens, we do sweet potatoes, you know just everything you would see in the south.” He was learning the ropes of southern cooking for years at home, but it wasn’t until his first job in a restaurant called The Butlery in 1985 that he would find himself on the path toward combining his love for southern comfort food, with French cuisine.

Bourbon Bread Pudding

“[It] was a French restaurant in the far west end. was the dishwasher, and really was going to leave there and go to take a job as an assistant to a real estate agent, but the executive chef actually talked me into staying,” he said.

After that, he became assistant to the pastry chef at the restaurant, and his skills in the kitchen really began to heat up from there.

“They really thought I had talent, and they actually fired [the head pastry chef], and her husband the executive chef… they were husband and wife team, so they couldn’t fire one without the other, so I became the pastry chef for this fancy French restaurant at the age of 23.”

However, The Butlery was only the beginning of Chef Hall’s foray into French cuisine. He would go on to attend the Culinary Institute of America for Pastries, work for Ukrop’s as a recipe development chef, and served as Executive Chef for Shockoe Bottom’s None Such Place for five years.

Chef Hall with Mayor Levar Stoney

Hall ventured out on his own with a restaurant called The Vine, but after that closed, it was his position at the 2300 Club where his vision for Spoonbread, which had started in 2003, began to come to life.

“[The 2300 Club] gave me the chance to really hone recipes, because it really wasn’t that busy, so when I did do things, I had a chance to go back to my recipe development days,” he said. “I kinda knew that I would do my own thing again, but I just didn’t know when.”

Now with two years of success under his belt at the Spoonbread in the Fan, Chef Hall was content, until he got word from a friend that the former Patina Grill on Lauderdale Drive had shuttered, and after some encouragement from his friend to check out the spot, he decided to dive in.

“I gotta be honest with you, I never thought about doing a second Spoonbread, I didn’t and I really hadn’t.” He was semi-familiar with the area because of a friend teaching at the 9Round, but it wasn’t until he noticed the name of a former colleague on the real estate sign that things really got on a roll.

“Believe it or not, a friend of mine that I use to work with when I was 20 years old, who worked with me at The Butlery is the real estate agent for this particular building, so when I saw the name, I was like, ‘I know Robbie, let me call him and see what’s up, so I gave him a call, he showed me the building, and I was like, ‘wow I kinda like this…we could do another Spoonbread,” Hall said.

The location proved ideal since it is in a residential area, it sits about a mile off the main Short Pump Strip, and the larger space allows for a larger kitchen. “The kitchen is bigger here, which means the menu can be bigger,” he added.

So what can be expected on the new menu? Well, a filet coated with 24 karat gold. Because, why not?  “We aren’t doing it at the other restaurant, but we are doing it here…it’s like this gold nugget on your plate,” he said. “I think the menu is going to be a lot more fun because we have the room to do certain things.”

Some new options will include stuffed oysters, and a Carpetbagger, an oyster-stuffed steak. Of course, his other eye-catching dishes such as the duck dish with smoke, and their steaks on salt blocks, and the popular crab cakes and braised short ribs will also be coming over to the new spot. Hopefully, we will the more unique dishes such as the lobster pop tart and pork siracha and collard greens egg rolls come over to the second location as well.

Spoonbread Deux will open this Sat., June 16 for dinner from 5 pm to 11 pm, and expand with lunch hours after Father’s Day.

Photos By: Spoonbread Bistro

Review: Hardywood Beer Dinner at Matchbox

John Donegan | March 27, 2018

Topics: Hardywood beer dinner, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Hardywood Singel, Matchbox, Pomegranate, RVA craft beer, RVA dine, rva food, Short Pump

Matchbox in Short Pump proved it was up to the task of a fine dining experience last week, providing a communal atmosphere along with fantastic food from a local chef paired with local craft beers.

Partnering with Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, the brick-oven pizza chain held a beer dinner catered by renowned chef Kevin LaCivita, who ever since he closed his European restaurant Pomegranate in Carytown in 2016, has been consulting at Bistro Coquette in Raleigh and Lake Anna’s Callie Opies Orchard. But on Thursday evening, LaCivita made quite the comeback and reminded Richmond foodies just what he was capable of with his five-course menu.

The Hardywood Singel, The ever-expanding brewery’s flagship brew, kicked off the evening, paired with fennel pollen-crusted scallops, which were served over a parsnip puree.

Now having been brought up in the fine dining atmosphere, I quickly learned the best appetizer comes with a crunch. This dish, universally soft in texture, stood apart with a collision between the soft and savory embodiment of the scallop with the crunchy fennel resting over the top, making for that perfect bite.

The scallops lightly sauteed, practically melted once you took a bite. The parsnip puree was buttery, almost dessert-like in its subtle, yet sweet delivery.

While not particularly a fan of the Singel, the golden Belgian blonde ale paired well the first dish and prepared my palate for the deliciousness that was to follow.  

The second course was a New Haven-style white clam pizza, paired with the Hardywood Pilsner, another one of the brewery’s flagship beers. The group I was seated with, far more vocal about their hunger after the morsel of a first dish, was surprised (myself included) upon learning each pizza was shared between two guests.

Though once the dish, along with the continuously delectable Hardywood Pilsner, was served, the chatter was silenced and formalities dropped; it was dinner time. Hungry attendees eyed the pizza with delight, and I wasted no time diving in. The thin-crusted pizza was piled high with arugula, providing a peppery bite to the puffy pizza and salty Parmesan cheese below it. The clams -the unsung martyrs- were stuffed under light blankets of alfredo cheese, all of this topped by some lemon zest which when combined packed quite a punch for this course. 

Intermixed among the lemony brightness of the dish, was a light spice that accented the clams that was a crowd pleaser, and the accompanying classic crisp lager from the brewery was a decent choice for the pizza.  The dish overall, not bad. Personally, I feel the dish would have been better on a thicker crust, the density failing in some respects of consistency, but a fantastic and surprisingly light dish regardless.

The third course was not so much notable for its texture. Not taking away from the dish, it was delightful. The presentation- pristine, but with this baked camembert, it was all in the pairing. A plum compote and bourbon-barrel gastrique encircled the creamy brie-like cheese, which was coupled with Hardywood’s Bourbon Barrel Cru, an abbey-style quadrupel ale that’s aged in bourbon whiskey barrels.

Although not my immediate favorite upon first taste, Hardywood’s quadrupel ale began to turn for the better as it warmed, which my neighbor at the event, a Hardywood brewer himself, attested to be true for all Hardywood brews.

It did, however, complement the dish nicely,  with the beer’s woody, bourbon caramel notes meshing wonderfully with the fruity compote and savory camembert. For now, I’ll suffice with labeling it the “cheese heaven ball.”.

Now we were on to the main event, a wood-fired, oven-salted crusted branzino with candied garlic.The presentation- reasonably avoidable to the faint of heart. Even the title was intimidating. It’s off-putting presentation, despite clear instructions on how to enjoy the dish in its unbeknownst simplicity, was again, intense.

It did lead the group to truly find comfort in another’s company, many ditching their dining sets to dive their way into the crunchy yet sweet lemony texture of the fish. With a flavor beyond comparison in a dish that literally stares back at you, the candied garlic, of all compliments, stood on its own, really bringing out the flavor in this dish. 

Upon the dish being served, Chef LaCivita made his appearance. Seizing the opportunity, we skipped the polite jargon of the guests around us, ravenously questioning- how one prepares a candied garlic like this, but he wasn’t giving away any secrets. The beer picked for this dish, the Hardywood VIPA, took the backseat on this one. It’s flat texture and medium-body proved unmemorable and not the best pair for the evening. Aside from the somewhat peculiar choice in beer pairing, the dish provided a strong finish to the main dinner that was rooted in primal simplicity.

Finally, we were on to dessert. This dish especially had been the one many across the communal table were clamoring about beforehand,  The dish, ricotta donuts, was served with bittersweet chocolate raspberry fondue and paired with the Hardywood Raspberry Stout. A donut, something so simple in its presentation, lightly fried and rolled in powdered sugar, found a pleasant and airy way to end the evening. The sweet donuts filled with the smooth, creamy ricotta and the decadent chocolate finish upon each dip into the sauce was a return to the warmest moments of cold winter nights. The stout, made for a fantastic pairing with the donuts, a wintertime treat on a spring evening; a nightcap to a well-catered event.  

 

Casa del Barco’s Short Pump Spot to Open This Month

Amy David | December 15, 2017

Topics: Casa Del Barco, GOOD EATS RVA, HOUSEpitality, Mexican Restaurant, RVA dine, Short Pump, Shrimp Shack, tequila, The Boathouse

Tequila bar and Mexican restaurant Casa del Barco has expanded out to Short Pump Town Center with a second location-which is slated to open just in time for the holidays.

The restaurant, which originally opened on South 12th Street in 2012, is operated by the people behind HOUSEpitality Family, who own The Boathouse at Sunday Park in Midlothian, The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing, The Boathouse at Short Pump, The Boathouse at City Point in Hopewell, and outdoor dining concept, Dinner in The Field.

Casa del Barco at Short Pump Town Center, located at 11800 W Broad St, will serve up a similar menu as the Canal Walk spot of Mexican comfort food such as street corn, tacos, pork belly tostones, empanadas, tamales, and more along with its extensive cocktail menu and over 120 varieties of tequila.

The 8,400 square-foot Casa del Barco in Short Pump has a modern look with inside seating for 185 and additional outside seating for 60. La Galleria, an open-air rooftop tequileria unique to this location, will be open for guests to choose from 200 tequilas and mezcals while they enjoy lunch or dinner.

“With each new restaurant we open we try to bring something new and spectacular from a design and experience standpoint and Casa del Barco at Short Pump Town Center is no exception,” said Paige Healy, Chief Creative Officer of HOUSEpitality Family in a statement. “We are all so proud of the work that has gone into this restaurant.”

Short Pump Town Center’s Casa del Barco will open for dinner at 5 pm starting Dec. 22 and Christmas Eve Dinner reservations are available from 3 pm-8:30 pm. On Monday, Dec. 26, the restaurant will open at 3 pm for happy hour and specials and lunch will launch on New Years Day followed by brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

The HOUSEpitality Family restaurant group, which is headed up by 30-year veteran Kevin Healy, is also planning a third Casa del Barco location for Chesterfield Towne Center along with a new seafood joint called Shrimp Shack, which will both open sometime in 2018.

Photo Credits: Housepitality Family

Co-working space Gather to expand to Short Pump

Ryan Persaud | September 7, 2017

Topics: coworking space, freelancers, Gather, Scott's Addition, Short Pump, start up companies

Freelance workers and small businesses in the Short Pump area looking for a space to work and collaborate will soon have a better option than their local coffee shop or paying a hefty rent of a large office property. Gather, a Richmond-based co-working space, is set to open their third location at West Broad Village.

Gather originally opened its doors in 2014 with a location on East Main Street and most recently opened up a spot in Scott’s Addition at 2920 W Broad St. The coworking business offers access to a common workspace for people who would normally work from home, as well as office space for individuals and businesses who are looking to rent space within one of Gather’s buildings. In addition, members of Gather have access to a full kitchen, free coffee and beer, the buildings’ gym and showers, various community rooms, as well as a variety of social events.

“When coworking first started out, I think that it was mostly focused on freelancers, start ups, and specifically tech startups,” said Jessica Back, the sales and engagement manager at Gather. “But I think that as it’s grown, specifically as Gather’s grown, our clientele base and our members have grown to be diverse, and we really serve everyone. I think that the style of work is changing and that people are really drawn to an atmosphere that is casual but productive.”

Gather RVA

Of course, all of these benefits come at a price. There are several membership tiers, the first being the Coworking plan. At $250 dollars a month, this tier gives members access to the benefits previously mentioned, as well as 24/7 access to all Gather locations, the buildings’ wifi, conference rooms, a work mailbox, and the ability to use their printers.

The Dedicated Desk tier gives members all of the benefits of the Coworking tier, in addition to a personal work desk.

The Office tier ranges from $500 to $1500 dollars a month. The price varies depending on the amount of people in one space, as individuals can rent their own personal office, and businesses can rent their own space for multiple people.

There is also a $40 dollars a month “Pay As You Go” plan, which requires members to pay for access to coworking seating ($20 dollars a day), the conference room ($10 dollars an hour), the mailbox ($40 dollars a month), and the printer ($5 dollars a month for access to the printer, with payments per print) as they use it. This tier also limits access to the building between the hours of 8am to 5pm, instead of the 24 hour access granted by the other tiers.

James Crenshaw, the managing partner at Gather, said that the space was created with flexibility in mind, and makes the process of finding a workplace much easier for people who would usually work at home.

“Let’s say you’re a freelancer, you’re getting ready to start your business, and you want to have an office to work out of,” Crenshaw said. “You’d have to go find a real estate broker to go find you a space. They show you spaces around town, then you have to come up with a big security deposit, and you have to sign a three year lease on the space. So as a freelancer, there really is no other option except for working from home, or at a coffee shop, that gives you that flexibility.”

Construction on the Short Pump location started in August. Hickok Cole Architects are serving as the building’s architect and interior designer. Jessica Zullo, director of Hickok Cole’s Richmond studio, talks about the growing popularity of more casual workspaces as reason for expanding to the area.

“The nature of work is changing: people are spending less time in formal offices, adapting to
flexible work hours, and expecting access to a wide spectrum of amenities,” Zullo said in a press release. “Like Gather’s original locations, in Short Pump we are creating an experience that will enhance the member’s working lives and build member loyalty through dynamic design.”

Members who currently work out of Gather’s Downtown and Scott’s Addition offices will have access to the new Short Pump location, located at 2400 Old Brick Road, when it opens in early 2018.

 

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