I Love Lakeside

This convenient neighborhood is equal parts charm and grit

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“Amazing Grace” peals over the rooftops as the bells of Hatcher Memorial Baptist Church sound at noon. Vintage cars pose like models under the Esso sign at the Lakeside Town Center. The other day, a stray herd of goats was grazing next to the Hermitage Grocery.

Lakeside is a little slice of small-town Virginia, in all the best ways. And the worst: Faded Confederate flags flutter in more than a few yards. Celebratory gunfire pops every Fourth of July. Peeling paint and tired roofs attest to families’ financial challenges. But Lakeside has lots of warmth and charm — and not a little contrariness.

HISTORY

Lakeside was given its name by Major Lewis Ginter, who in 1895 named his bicycle club the Lakeside Wheel Club (now the Bloemendaal House at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden) and built Lakeside Park (now the Jefferson Lakeside Country Club). Richmonders traveled by streetcar to visit the park, which had a zoo, a bowling alley and a dance pavilion.

RECREATION

Lakeside is bookended by two of Richmond’s prettiest green spaces. To the south is Joseph Bryan Park, 262 acres of woods, fields, ponds and streams. People flock to the park’s azalea gardens every April and May, but it’s beautiful any time of year. Stop and say "Hi" to Adolph White, the self-appointed guardian of the park’s purple martins, and he’ll tell you all about the wonders of these acrobatic swallows.

To the north is Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, where I’ve wandered for many happy hours. My favorite things to do: admire the Virginia bluebells in the spring, sip wine at Flowers After Five in summer, watch the maples blaze in fall and find respite from the winter cold among the orchids in the conservatory.

LIVING

I live in Bryan Parkway, a collection of Cape Cods, Colonials and Tudors that adjoins the park. It’s a tight-knit neighborhood filled with young families. Chalk decorates the sidewalks, tricycles rest on porches and everyone brings a dish to the annual neighborhood picnic.

Throughout Lakeside, you’ll find cute and affordable Capes, bungalows and ranches in neighborhoods like Ginter Gardens and Hermitage Park. The best thing about living in Lakeside is that it’s convenient to everything. Interstates 95 and 64 converge at the Bryan Park interchange, as does 195. In 10 minutes, you can be downtown, in the West End or in Carytown.

DINING

You won’t find fine-dining establishments in Lakeside, but good grub abounds. Since 1961, locals have lined up at the window of Roy’s Big Burger to get — what else? — a big cheeseburger, "all the way," and fries. Carytown Burger & Fries has an outpost up the street. A new addition to the neighborhood is Los Gauchos, an Argentinean place with housemade empanadas. Our go-to family dinner spot is Arianna’s Grill, where the pizza’s half-price on Tuesday and the zucchini sub is a garlicky, sloppy delight. Don’t forget to stop by Final Gravity Brewing Company for a cold IPA.

SHOPPING

When you drive up Lakeside Avenue from Bryan Park, the ’50s-era shops and former filling stations make you feel as if you've bounced back in time. The local economy remains one built on small businesses, primarily consignment and car repair. Which isn’t a bad thing; I bought my daughter’s French provincial bedroom set for less than $50 at Whispers of Time’s sidewalk sale, and I can't find a better (or gruffer) mechanic than Ray Tuck. On Saturdays and Wednesdays in season, you can buy local produce, meat, flowers and baked goods at the Lakeside Farmers’ Market. For special gifts, I head to Twig to browse silkscreened tea towels and fun home accessories. If you need to cast a love charm, Divine Magic and Novelty has all the spell ingredients you need (seriously). But hey, I already love it here.