SPCA mascot Lily was adopted from the organization's humane center in 2018. (Photo by Monica Escamilla)
Best place for a child’s party
2519 Hermitage Road, 804-521-1300
If you want a party filled with crafts, laughter and fun, Richmond SPCA delivers. With several packages to choose from, a visit from an animal in the Richmond SPCA’s care, and an appearance by mascot Waggles, kids learn about the work the Richmond SPCA does for the community. Guests can even donate items for homeless animals in lieu of birthday gifts, a “compassionate and selfless act,” says Tamsen Kingry, chief executive officer at Richmond SPCA.
2. Children’s Museum of Richmond
3. Chuck E. Cheese
Best virtual fundraising event
A black-tie event for both pets and humans, the Richmond SPCA Fur Ball was held virtually last fall due to the pandemic — the Fur(tual) Ball. Attendees purchased meals and picked them up from Heritage, a silent auction was held and a video was shown. The event raised around $425,000 last year for the Cinderella Fund, which is used to “treat and rehabilitate thousands of animals every year,” according to Chief Executive Officer Tamsen Kingry.
2. Richmond Repertory Theatre Anything Goes Gala
Best outdoor recreation venue or facility
10301 State Park Road, Chesterfield, 804-796-4255
The state’s largest park, with almost 8,000 acres, Pocahontas boasts 90 miles of trails, the 225-acre Swift Creek Lake, an aquatic center, camping, horseback riding and the Pocahontas Premieres entertainment program. Andrew Sporrer, spokesperson for the Eastern Region Virginia State Parks, observes that Pocahontas in 2020 provided a “recreational refuge in Central Virginia,” whether parkgoers were “connecting with the resources here for the first time, or they are part of the weekly riding crowd.”
2. Top Golf
3. River City Sportsplex
Best place to volunteer
1415 Rhoadmiller St., 804-521-2500
“Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our mission,” says Feed More President and CEO Doug Pick. “During the pandemic, most corporate programs stopped, and many dedicated seniors had to stay home.” Students and those unemployed by COVID-related cutbacks filled the gap in this vital role. “We delivered more than 30 million meals,” Pick says. “Now that’s something we all can be proud of.”
2. Richmond SPCA
3. Any food bank
Best indoor recreation venue or facility
6807 Midlothian Turnpike, 804-557-5500; 10515 Colonial Downs Parkway, 804-966-7223
“Rosie’s is honored to be chosen by our community as among Richmond’s best,” says Rosie’s spokesperson Mark B. Hubbard. “We believe it is because of our enthusiastic team members who have hung in there while navigating a changing world. … As the world around us returns to normal, our players are eager for more visits out with family and friends for relaxation, fun and a chance at luck.”
2. SCOR Sports Center of Richmond
3. Triangle Rock Club
Gather Arts District in downtown Richmond (Photo courtesy Gather)
Best coworking space
When James Crenshaw’s Alcoa department shut and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, “they offered a promotion, but I wanted to stay in Richmond,” he recalls. Instead, Crenshaw took on event planning and marketing, and in 2014, he began co-running Richmond’s Gather, a cooperative workspace center that has grown to seven locations. People during the past year enjoyed working at home, but not working there all the time. Gather offered a preferred and flexible alternative for firms large, small and finding their way.
2. Common House
3. The Collab Spot
Photo courtesy ACAC
Best membership gym
2201 Old Brick Road, 804-464-0990; 11621 Robious Road, 804-378-1600
With locations in Midlothian and Short Pump, ACAC prides itself on being an exercise club for people of all ages and fitness levels. Featuring physical therapy clinics, indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities (including an adults-only rooftop pool in Short Pump, complete with cafe and bar), racquet sports (tennis, pickleball, squash and badminton), and a full slate of fitness classes, ACAC truly has something for everyone.
2. YMCA
3. American Family Fitness
Photo courtesy SoulShine Studios
Multicategory Winner
9200 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 111, 804-335-0593
In addition to traditional yoga and other fitness classes, SoulShine Studios is one of the only fitness providers in the area to offer Nia, a combination of martial arts, healing arts, dance and spiritual self-healing. Nia also incorporates elements of taekwondo, tai chi and aikido, as well as modern and Duncan dance styles, according to co-owner Marybeth Grinnan. “What Nia does is bring the chemistry, the energy, the feeling, the personality of those different elements into the workout, to create a holistic, diverse, multidimensional experience,” she says. “This is a way to expose people and broaden horizons to the sensations of the body moving in those different ways.”
Best yoga studio
1. SoulShine Studios
2. Humble Haven Yoga
3. BareSOUL Yoga & Wellness
Best boutique fitness center
1. SoulShine Studios
2. Maiden Motion
3. BOHO Studios
Best local online workout/gym classes
1. SoulShine Studios
2. Maiden Motion
3. Turn Cardio Jam Studio
Best martial arts instruction
Tie: Dong’s Karate; Martial Arts World
“Our goal is for everyone to leave class feeling better than before and with a smile on their face,” says Dong’s Karate instructor Steven Stanley. Grandmaster Dong is also an active presence who is “teaching classes and guiding instructors and students.”
Martial Arts World offers traditional martial arts, self-defense classes, and afterschool programs as well as summer camps. Testimonials from students say that Martial Arts World helped them be more focused and improved their self-confidence.
2. Revolution Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
3. Academy of Kung Fu
Photo courtesy Sports Backers
Best run (5K, 10K or marathon)
“We are thrilled the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K presented by Kroger received this recognition,” says Jon Lugbill, Sports Backers’ executive director. “Despite many challenges, we still motivated thousands of runners and walkers to celebrate active living over four days in multiple locations.” This spring, the COVID-adjusted format allowed 6,750 runners to take part with measured, marked courses; chip timing; easy packet pickup; and finisher medals on-site.
2. Richmond SPCA Dog Jog and 5K Run
3. Richmond Marathon
Best personal trainer
Jeff Meszaros, American Family Fitness
Jeff Meszaros, a personal trainer with American Family Fitness since 2012, says even though the hours can be long, one of the things that keeps his days interesting is the variety. “If I work a 16-hour day and have 15 clients in a row, they’re all different types of people,” he says. “Having the same client over and over again would be kind of boring, but you get different people with different personalities and different goals.”
2. Emily Snow, Emily Snow Fitness
Best indoor swimming facility
Among its 16 branches, the YMCA boasts indoor and outdoor pools offering swimming lessons, classes in lifeguarding, CPR and first aid, swim teams and clinics, and masters swimming programs for adults. The 21,000-square-foot Frank J. Thornton YMCA Aquatic Center opened last fall in a partnership with Henrico County to provide East End residents with a place to swim. It offers an eight-lane lap pool, a warm-water instructional pool, a waterslide and a spray area.
2. ACAC
3. SwimRVA
Photo courtesy The Music Tree
Best youth music instruction
3046 Stony Point Road, 804-571-1973
Aptly named, The Music Tree takes pride in its lineage. Teachers at the school have family trees that trace back to some of the greatest composers and classical musicians of all time, including Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann, says president and CEO Laura Floyd. “The teachers really care about the students,” she says, “it’s not just sitting in a room with them. We individualize lesson plans for each student.”
2. Greater Richmond School of Music
3. Mosley Music
Photo courtesy Greater Richmond School of Music
Multicategory Winner
Greater Richmond School of Music
Charlene Hartley, owner/director of the Greater Richmond School of Music, credits her school’s hat trick to “our amazing and loyal students and their families, and most of all to the dedication and devotion of the most qualified music faculty in Richmond.” Students and instructors were given the flexibility of choosing how and where they wanted to have their lessons, within the confines of state-mandated pandemic restrictions. “During this challenging time, it’s been the winning ticket for us, and we can’t wait for things to begin to normalize once again,” Hartley says.
Best place for adults to learn a new skill
1. Greater Richmond School of Music
2. Fred Astaire Dance Studios
3. Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Best children’s after-school or weekend enrichment classes
1. Greater Richmond School of Music
2. SPARC
3. Mosley Music
Best children’s summer camp program
1. Greater Richmond School of Music
2. YMCA
3. Richmond SPCA Critter Camp
Photo by Melissa Brugh
Editor’s Best
Fun and Games
At 49 years in business, Midlothian’s Putt-Putt Fun Center (7901 Midlothian Turnpike) has always been one of my favorite places. For my 26th birthday, I gathered friends and family to play all three outdoor minigolf courses in the freezing December weather. The courses were decked out with twinkling lights and decorations — and we got pretty good at speed shots.
A newer addition to Richmond, and a fun place to celebrate with a brew, is The Circuit (3121 W. Leigh St.) in Scott’s Addition. I’m a gamer and can usually be found there playing Ms. Pac-Man, Dig Dug or Root Beer Tapper.
I’m also a bit of an escape room connoisseur, often trying out new games with my cousins. It’s team building to the extreme, and the West End’s Escape Room RVA (7025 Three Chopt Road) is a great place to celebrate a birthday (complete with complimentary ice cream sandwiches). My cousin fittingly gathered us to “break out” of the “Cake or Death” room for his birthday, where we searched for clues that revealed Krinkle the Clown’s descent into madness. (Yes, we made it out.) —Nicole Cohen
Best neighborhood in the city of Richmond
This charming neighborhood is known for the restaurants and shops nestled among its blocks of vintage row houses, as well as special events such as the annual Holiday House Tour, the Strawberry Street Festival at Fox School and now, the pandemic-inspired Fan Art Stroll. “The Fan is a great place to live,” says Tim Beane, president of the Fan District Association. “It’s a wonderfully walkable, vibrant community.”
2. Church Hill
3. Museum District
Best new neighborhood in Henrico
10814 Porter Park Lane
The River Mill community in Glen Allen was designed with amenities for an active lifestyle, and it offers a variety of homes — from single family to luxury apartments. “River Mill has a robust amenity package, including Mill Square Park, an expanding network of walking trails and, coming soon, the Connexion clubhouse, pool and multiuse fields,” says Jonathan Ridout, vice president of real estate development for HHHunt Communities.
Photo courtesy East West Communities
Best new neighborhood in Hanover
9239 Dentons Tavern Way, Mechanicsville
“We feel the amenities — the clubhouse, pool, woodland trails, zipline, a treehouse playground for kids, pocket parks, fishing ponds and protected woodlands, for example — distinguish Giles from other local communities,” says Connie Pollard, senior vice president of marketing for East West Communities. “The diversity of homes, great value and entry price points in the low $400s also add to its desirability.”
2. Rutland
Best new neighborhood for those 50 and over/retired
“At Mosaic we have taken everything into consideration, from community and home design to amenity planning and lifestyle events,” says Jonathan Ridout, vice president of real estate development for HHHunt Communities. Located just west of Short Pump, the 55-plus community’s resort-inspired amenities include low-maintenance homes and townhouses, a state-of-the-art clubhouse, sports courts, a fitness center and more than 9 miles of walking trails.
Best continuing-care community
1900 Lauderdale Drive, 804-729-5563
“We continue to evolve to meet the needs of today’s seniors,” says Hillary Winkelmann, Lakewood’s director of sales and marketing. “Our new smart home technology package is just one of the ways we are doing that.” Lakewood is a life-plan community offering independent living, assisted living, memory care and Medicare-certified skilled nursing care.
2. Westminster Canterbury
3. Tie: Cedarfield; Covenant Woods
Photo courtesy Magnolia Green
Multicategory Winner
“Whatever you are looking for, we’re confident you’ll find it here in Magnolia Green,” says Michelle Atkins, marketing manager of the master-planned community. “Magnolia Green offers a variety of home styles for all stages of life, something for everyone.” The community boasts a premier Nicklaus Design semiprivate golf course and restaurant, blue ribbon schools and a year-round calendar of social events.
Best new neighborhood for Families
1. Magnolia Green
2. Tie: Harper’s Mill; Rountrey
Best new neighborhood in Chesterfield
1. Magnolia Green
Photo by Oleksandr Kucheriavyi courtesy Fred Astaire Dance Studios
Multicategory Winner
100 Arboretum Place, Suite 110, 804-476-8297
Offering lessons in up to 20 styles of dance, from the two-step to the waltz, Fred Astaire Dance Studios was co-founded in 1947 by the legendary Fred Astaire. Even though the pandemic made teaching dance classes difficult, the instructors adjusted well to maintaining a fun and inclusive environment, according to dance instructor Yehor Kupriianov. “We did our best to connect with our students and support each other,” he says. “As instructors, we helped them stay in good shape, stay active and stay positive.” The studio has been open for in-person lessons since fall 2020 and hosted its biannual cabaret night in November, which was Disney-themed.
Best adult dance lessons
1. Fred Astaire Dance Studios
2. SoulShine Studios
3. Maiden Motion
Best dance event or series
1. Fred Astaire Dance Studios
2. Richmond Ballet
3. Arthur Murray Dance Centers Richmond
Best paint-and-sip art classes
Willow Lawn, 1601 Willow Lawn Drive, 888-607-6873
Muse prides itself on being different from the usual paintbar experience, most of which are BYOB. “We offer beer and wine, and a restaurant as well,” says Chief Operating Officer Reese Pippins. “There is really no competitor in the area offering food and beverage.” Muse also re-creates the environment of an art studio with handcrafted tables and colorful walls as opposed to “a long white table in a white room with not a lot of personality,” Pippins adds.
2. Wine & Design
3. AR Workshop
Best youth dance instruction
2441 Colony Crossing Place, 804-272-9152
In its 12th year, Legacy School of Dance is known for its supportive atmosphere and dedication to turning students into not only good dancers, but good people. The school wants to be a part of “the village that helps raise [students],” says co-owner Kimberly Ligatti. “We want to see them do well in school and be role models in the community. We want them to be leaders and be proud of who they are.”
2. Tie: Central Virginia Dance Academy; Richmond Dance Center
3. West End Academy of Dance
Photo courtesy Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Multicategory Winner
Visual Arts Center of Richmond
1812 W. Main St., 804-353-0094
When the pandemic forced the closing of VisArts’ Maurice Bean-designed gates, the institution did what artists do in tough situations: They got creative. Within 48 days, the center released a catalog of more than 80 online classes for both youth and adult audiences in nearly all media, including clay, sewing, metalworking and photography. During the first pandemic session, some 400 students enrolled. “This year, we had students joining online classes from other states, and even other countries!” exclaims Jordan Brown, VisArts’ director of education and programming. “The teaching staff is comprised of 200 artists and educators who create supportive classroom communities where students can feel safe to learn and experiment.”
Best youth art instruction
1. Visual Arts Center of Richmond
2. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
3. Tie: Art 180; Art Factory & Party Place; The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen
Best adult art classes
1. Visual Arts Center of Richmond
2. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
3. The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen
