Jeff Meszaros (Photo by Kim Frost)
Best Personal Fitness Trainer
Jeff Meszaros, American Family Fitness, Midlothian
One look at Jeff Meszaros’ resume should let you know he can whip just about anyone into shape. With an extensive background in amateur bodybuilding and Ironman competitions, plus nearly 20 years of professional experience, he’s prepared to help you get the most from your body. “You’re always gonna work harder with someone there to keep pushing you past your limits,” he says.
2. (TIE) Mark Reinke, ACAC; Brett Timpano, BURN Bootcamp
Best Yoga Studio
Project Yoga Richmond
6517 Dickens Place, 804-447-6058
This nonprofit was created as a way for five students to honor their former yoga instructor after her death in 2009. Now Project Yoga looks to bring together yogis of all different abilities and backgrounds to practice in their communal studio. “Yoga is transformational,” says Natalie Rainer, the studio manager, “and our goal is to make it affordable and accessible to everyone.”
2. Hot House Yoga
3. (TIE) The Yoga Dojo; Yoga Source
Best Martial Arts Instruction
Dong’s Karate
Since 1971, Grand Master Seung Dong has been teaching karate and tae kwon do in Richmond. His World Champion Grandmaster School has graduated more than 7,000 black belts. For Dong, there’s more to martial arts than fighting: “We try to teach our students to build their body and their soul,” he says. “If martial arts is just about punching and kicking, what’s it worth?”
2. Master Cho’s Tae Kwon Do and Martial Arts
Photo courtesy Sports Center of Richmond
Best Indoor Sports Venue or Activity
Sports Center of Richmond (SCOR)
1385 Overbrook Road, 804-257-7267
The Sports Center of Richmond accommodates multiple activities thanks to its variety of facilities, from green soccer fields to the giant climbing walls that tower above. There’s even an in-house cafe for those looking to relax off the field. “We just want people to know that we’re here, and there’s programs for kids all the way up to adults,” says the venue’s youth development manager, Katie McLernan.
2. Peak Experiences
3. VCU Siegel Center/basketball
Photo courtesy YMCA of Greater Richmond
YMCA of Greater Richmond (multi-category winner)
The YMCA of Greater Richmond caters to all ages and abilities, from parent-child swimming classes to Aging Well activities for seniors. The Y is known for keeping children active while teaching teamwork and good sportsmanship. It offers leagues and classes in everything from martial arts to cheerleading and has dedicated exercise classes for children. “The YMCA enables youth to take an active role in their health by making it fun,” says Charlotte Dean, the YMCA’s director of marketing and communications.
Best Youth Swimming Instruction
1. YMCA of Greater Richmond
2. NOVA of Virginia Aquatics
3. ACAC
Best Youth Athletic Coaching
1. YMCA of Greater Richmond
2. Richmond Kickers
3. Richmond Baseball Academy
Best Children’s Fitness Program or Gym
1. YMCA of Greater Richmond
2. ACAC
3. (TIE) Richmond Volleyball Juniors; Romp n’ Roll
Best Membership Gym
American Family Fitness
American Family Fitness has long been a staple for fitness-conscious Richmonders. With seven metro Richmond locations, the gym offers top-tier facilities and trainers to residents across the area. “It’s a joy to me because I can help change people’s lives for the better,” says Jeff Meszaros, a personal trainer at the chain’s Midlothian location (and a Best & Worst winner in his own right).
2. ACAC
3. YMCA of Greater Richmond
Best Children’s Summer Camp Program
(TIE) SPARC; YMCA of Greater Richmond
sparcrichmond.org/summer; ymcarichmond.org/camps
With camps ranging from the basics of performing to instruction on the technical side of theater production, SPARC shows no signs of slowing down once summer hits. Camps are also plentiful at the YMCA’s various locations, covering everything from sports and STEM education to art classes and coding, as well as a more traditional summer day camp at Camp Thunderbird, the Y’s facility in Chesterfield.
2. Maymont
3. Passages Adventure Camp
Photo by Jay Paul courtesy SPARC
Best Children’s After-School or Weekend Enrichment Classes
SPARC
For 37 years, SPARC has worked to live up to its motto of “setting the stage for life” through productions, classes and summer camps that build self-confidence, develop social skills and inspire creativity in students. “What we really want is to help kids discover the light inside themselves,” says SPARC Marketing Director Sara Marsden.
2. VMFA
3. Science Museum of Virginia
Photo by Kevin J. Kelley courtesy Maymont
Maymont (multi-category winner)
1700 Hampton St., 804-358-7166
Maymont is one of the most expansive attractions in metro Richmond, an estate on 100 acres that includes parks, an arboretum, gardens, animal exhibitions and a house museum. It also offers a variety of birthday parties for children, including carriage rides, Victorian tea parties, animal encounters and celebrations with a fairy godmother or a storyteller.
SAVE THE DATE: The Victorian era comes to life at Maymont as it celebrates its 125th anniversary with a free event from noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 23. Costumed re-enactors will promenade about the grounds, and guests can take a carriage ride or enjoy period music and snacks. If you’ve got a vintage hat, or bustles and bodices on hand, dress up and partake in the fun.
Best Place for a Child’s Birthday Party
1. Maymont
2. Jumpology
3. Richmond SPCA
Best Feature/Attraction in a City-Owned Park
1. Maymont: flowers, animals, mansion, gardens
2. James River Park System: Belle Isle, trails, T-Pot Bridge
3. Forest Hill Park: South of the James Farmers Market
Best Inclusive Playground and/or Facility
ARCpark
3600 Saunders Ave., 804-358-1874
This popular all-abilities facility is the product of three years of focus groups with child-care experts and children. It’s “a park for everybody,” says ARCpark committee member Vicki Beatty. The park was designed to fuse typical playground features with accessibility so that kids with various abilities can enjoy the space together.
2. Huguenot Park
Illustration by Thinkstock
Best Place for a Day Hike
James River Park System trails/Belle Isle
These trails are perfect for families looking to take a casual stroll or for those who want to sweat on their hikes, and Belle Isle is an ideal spot to sit and enjoy the sights and sounds of the river afterward. “There are just so many different trails and places to go along the river,” says Tamara Jenkins, Richmond Parks and Recreation event coordinator.
Deep Run Park (Photo by Ella Testin)
2. Pocahontas State Park
3. Maymont
Deep Run Park & Recreation Center (multi-category winner)
9900 Ridgefield Parkway, Henrico, 804-652-1430
Deep Run Park has it all, from playgrounds to ponds. There’s space for the whole family — including canine members, who are welcome to walk the park’s trails and open fields on a leash — and the Deep Run Recreation Center is a hidden gem. “The center offers a variety of classes and events for children and adults,” says Pam Kempf, a spokeswoman for Henrico County Parks and Recreation.
Best Feature/Attraction in a County-Owned Park
1. Deep Run Park & Recreation Center: trails, playground, lake
2. Three Lakes Park: nature center, playground
3. Short Pump Park: dog park
Best Local Park to Visit with Kids and Pets
1. Deep Run Park & Recreation Center
2. Byrd Park
3. ARCpark
Best Neighborhood in Henrico (New or Established)
(TIE) Lakeside; Wyndham
Two very different ’hoods top this category: the turn-of-the-21st-century master-planned community of Wyndham and the funky, turn-of-the-20th-century eclecticism that is Lakeside. Wyndham has 6,000 residents in 42 neighborhoods of homes ranging from single-family residences to condominiums, with The Dominion Club at the center. Lakeside, meanwhile, is filled with 1940s Capes and cottages, and it benefits from the healthy retail-restaurant corridor of its namesake avenue.
2. Tuckahoe
3. (TIE) Twin Hickory; Westham
Best Neighborhood in Hanover (New or Established)
Providence
Providence Church Road at Woodside Lane
This HHHunt Communities project opened in 2013, with 200-plus homes starting in the low $300,000s, more than 3 miles of paved walking trails, a park and an amphitheater. “There’s a lot of nice amenities for a community this size,” says Donna Pettit, a new home advisor for the builder, HHHunt Homes.
2. (TIE) Kings Charter; Rutland
Best Neighborhood in Chesterfield (New or Established)
Bon Air
There’s a Victorian village at the heart of this community, which celebrates its genteel roots each May with a festival and parade. Recreational outlets include swimming and tennis at the Bon Air Community Association. Barry Sweeney, owner of The Butcher at Bon Air, loves the ambience and the close-knit feel of the community. “The folks are very supportive of local small businesses,” he says.
2. (TIE) Brandermill; Woodlake
3. (TIE) Hallsley; Salisbury
Best Neighborhood in the City of Richmond (New or Established)
(TIE) Church Hill; The Fan
Two iconic historic neighborhoods top the vote here. Each is a walkable community filled with parks (including expansive Chimborazo in Church Hill and tiny Scuffletown in The Fan), unique architecture and awesome dining options. And each is all about the people. “It’s wonderful that every walk down the block includes at least one encounter and chat with a neighbor,” says Genni Sasnett, president of the Church Hill Association.
2. The Museum District
3. Westover Hills
The Symbol in Scott's Addition (Photo by Ella Testin)
Scott’s Addition (multi-category winner)
The 20-square-block community is home to more than 3,500 residents and growing. The Symbol development's residential phase began earlier this year, and projects in the works include two residential towers for the Scott's View apartment/retail project, tentatively targeted to open in late 2019. “The neighborhood has gone from a largely forgotten industrial area with vacant warehouse space to one of the hottest neighborhoods in Richmond and a mecca for beer, cider, mead and spirits lovers in a matter of five to seven years,” says Trevor Dickerson, president of the Scott's Addition Boulevard Association.
Best New Apartment Community/Building
1. Scott's Addition in general
Best Up-and-Coming Neighborhood
1. Scott's Addition
2. Church Hill
3. Manchester
Best New Condo/Townhouse Community
West Broad Village
3950 Wild Goose Lane, Glen Allen, 804-887-2988
Touted as a lifestyle center, West Broad Village provides residents with a walkable neighborhood filled with retailers and shops such as Phenix Salon Suites and Spirited Art, plus restaurants including Kona Grill and Carrabba’s. It’s a pet-friendly place, and activities include a free summer concert series, plus Skee-Ball and games at Dave & Busters, too.
2. (TIE) Libbie Mill-Midtown; Rocketts Landing
Best Community/Neighborhood Garden
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
1800 Lakeside Ave., 804-262-9887
With 50 acres that include a children’s garden, hundreds of rose bushes, special exhibits such as origami sculptures set throughout the property until Sept. 30, a domed conservatory with butterflies through October, and the Dominion GardenFest of Lights during the holidays, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a year-round favorite.
2. Tricycle Urban Ag Culture
3. Maymont
Photo courtesy Hallsley
Best New Neighborhood for Families
Hallsley
3900 Brightwalton Road, Midlothian, 804-794-9119
Varied architecture, year-round events and activities, top-rated schools, and community spirit are among the factors that have made this 800-home Midlothian development a consistent seller in metro Richmond, while keeping it atop this category since 2014. Its newest neighborhood is The Oaks, with homes in the $500,000s. Overall, there are 125 new homes remaining. “It’s exceeded all our expectations,” says Connie Pollard, senior vice president for marketing.
2. Magnolia Green
3. FoxCreek
Best Continuing-Care Community
Westminster Canterbury
1600 Westbrook Ave., 804-264-6000
About 870 seniors call Westminster Canterbury home, with housing options from single-family residences to assisted care, as well as amenities that include fine-arts programming and aquatics and fitness centers. The community is expected to add 125 residences after its purchase in May of 10.6 acres of the old Azalea Mall property. “It’s a really stellar place, but also a neighborly place,” says Gayle Hegland of the Westminster Canterbury Foundation.
2. Cedarfield
3. Brandermill Woods
Photo by Thinkstock
Best Youth Music Instruction
The School of Rock
4300 Pouncey Tract Road, Suite G, Glen Allen, 804-212-3900; 13154 Midlothian Turnpike, Midlothian, 804-419-4925
For those about to rock, here’s a school for you. The School of Rock has students play shows in various genres, from classic rock to the blues, indie rock to Motown. “We put on shows to teach students about rock music and to make it more fun for the kids, helping them build a team and a sense of community,” says Parker Alter, who owns both locations with her husband, Matthew.
2. The Music Tree
3. (TIE) GreenSpring International Academy of Music; Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra; SPARC
Best Youth Dance Instruction
The School of Richmond Ballet
407 E. Canal St.,804-344-0906
Richmond Ballet gives lessons in modern, jazz, theater dance and, of course, ballet, offering “superior training for young people who aspire to have a professional ballet career, as well as students who wish simply to enrich their lives through dance,” says Carrie Bilek, marketing and communications director.
2. Arts in Motion Dance Academy
3. (TIE) Dogtown Dance Theatre; Encore Studio; Grace Arts; SPARC; Village Dance Studio
Best Adult Dance Classes
Claves Unidos
Dogtown Dance Theatre, 109 W. 15th St., dance@clavesunidos.com
Claves Unidos (United Rhythms) is not your average salsa class. At Dogtown Dance Theatre, Claves Unidos works with African rhythms used across musical genres to demonstrate “how closely related we are, no matter where we are from,” says the class teacher, Kevin LaMarr Jones. “It’s a great community class that is a kinetic form of dance and music from the African diaspora.”
2. Richmond Ballet
3. Rigby’s Jig
Photo courtesy Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Visual Arts Center of Richmond (multi-category winner)
1812 W. Main St., 804-353-0094
VisArts has been providing a creative outlet to Richmond residents since 1963, with hundreds of art class options in a range of media and for all skill levels at its 30,000-square-foot complex in the old Virginia Dairy building. VisArts also offers after-school art programs and over 200 weeklong art workshops through its ArtVenture summer camps. “Our classes are special because they’re taught by local artists,” says Tesni Stephen, education manager for the nonprofit.
Best Youth Art Instruction
1. Visual Arts Center of Richmond
2. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
3. ART 180
Best Adult Art Classes
1. Visual Arts Center of Richmond
2. VMFA
3. Studio Two Three
Best Art-Focused Event or Festival
Arts in the Park
This festival, which features work by more than 450 artisans, has been staged in Byrd Park for 47 years now, courtesy of The Carillon Civic Association. A rite of spring for many Richmond residents, it attracts 60,000 to 70,000 visitors each year. “Everybody seems to love it so much,” says Jenifer Jarrett Hulzing, an organizer.
2. First Fridays
3. (TIE) Richmond Folk Festival; RVA Street Art Festival
Best Nonprofit Art Gallery
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
200 N. Boulevard, 804-340-1400
Open year-round, this world-class facility has a plethora of riches in terms of its extensive collection, its community programming and top-notch traveling exhibits including “Napoleon: Power and Splendor,” which runs through Sept. 3. With a permanent, global collection of nearly 40,000 artworks spanning 6,000 years of art history, “there’s something for everyone at VMFA,” says Jessica Haddad, VMFA’s public relations manager.
2. (TIE) 1708 Gallery; Gallery5
3. (TIE) ART 180; StudioTwo Three
Photo by Cregger Creative courtesy Crossroads Art Center
Best Gallery in Which to Buy Art
Crossroads Art Center
2016 Staples Mill Road, 804-278-8950
Celebrating 16 years in the art business this year, Crossroads Art Center aims to make buying artwork affordable for everyone. Thanks to its recent purchase of buyRVAart.com, patrons can now purchase or browse artwork from various artists in the community online, as well as in the gallery. “We are grateful to the artists of Crossroads who trust us to market and sell their work,” says owner Jenni Kirby.
2. Glave Kocen Gallery
3. Quirk Gallery
Best Paint-and-Sip Art Classes
(TIE) Spirited Art;Wine & Design
Spirited Art: West BroadVillage, 4029 Whitetail Way, Glen Allen, 804-360-5909; Wine & Design: 2707 W. Broad St., 804-359-9149, or 9925 Hull Street Road, North Chesterfield, 804-447-2976
Fine wine and art are always a winning combination, especially when you have the chance to create your own masterpiece. In a paint-and-sip art class, there’s art, but there are also jokes, laughs and togetherness. “It’s drinking and painting, with the emphasis kind of on the drinking,” says John Price, studio manager for the West Broad Street Wine & Design.
2. Muse Paintbar
3. Paint Nite
Best Co-working or Maker Space
Gather
For those looking to find office space for themselves or accommodations for a whole start-up, look no further than Gather. This co-working space offers all the amenities of a traditional office without the formality of a corporate setting. It’s a place to meet, network and learn.
2. The Broad
3. Studio Two Three
Best Nonprofit CEO Under 40
Cheryl Bemis, Pay It Forward Outreach
5222 Pouncey Tract Road, Glen Allen, 804-215-1500
With the aim of helping struggling people around the city, Cheryl Bemis started her nonprofit in 2016. Pay It Forward works with more than a dozen other nonprofits to collect and distribute donations to the homeless and others in need across Richmond. “I think it’s my calling,” she says.
2. Ashley Hawkins, Studio Two Three
Photo by Bill Bangham courtesy Richmond SPCA
Most Creative Nonprofit Fundraiser
Richmond SPCA Fur Ball
You’ve got to love a fundraiser featuring a promenade of cats and dogs and their people down the grand staircase at the Jefferson Hotel. No wonder Richmond SPCA CEO Robin Robertson Starr describes her group’s signature event as “the most fun and least stuffy black-tie event of the year in Richmond.” It’s also effective: The 19th edition of the Fur Ball, held in November 2017, netted $520,379.
2. SPARC Live Art
3. Side by Side (includingPride Macarons from The Tottering Teacup)
Best Civic Group or Club
Junior League of Richmond
2605 W. Cary St., 804-643-4886
This nonprofit group’s Richmond chapter has worked to promote volunteerism and develop women’s potential to better the community since its founding in 1926. The Junior League of Richmond’s 900 members donate time and effort to help children and families across the metro area through programs including Families First, Good Sports and Done in a Day.
2. Liberal Women of Chesterfield County
