(Clockwise from top left) Cantonese Kitchen’s custard piggy buns, braised beef tendon and radish, pork siu mei, beef chow foon, steamed shrimp dumplings, and sesame balls (Photo by Ash Daniel)
In This Issue
67 / Toys Are Us Meet some local Santa’s helpers who share the joy of toys year-round. By Paula Peters Chambers and Adam Cheek
74 / Best New Restaurants 22 dining destinations to try right now By Bird Cox, Stephanie Ganz, Eileen Mellon and Genevelyn Steele
84 / Gingerbread Cheer Follow the spicy-sweet scent of gingerbread to some of Richmond’s beloved holiday traditions. By Rachel Kester, Mindy Kinsey, Jenna Lapp and Melody Yuan
UPFRONT
18 / FROM THE EDITOR
LOCAL
24 / CATCH UP Solar insects, Pride plates and a vibe check
26 / TRANSPORTATION Rethinking a “dangerous” road
28 / POLITICS A new hope in City Hall
32 / BEST & WORST Highs and lows of 2024 in review
34 / IN MEMORIAM Remembering Richmonders we lost in 2024
36 / FLASHBACK The Chamberlayne Actors Theatre’s shows go on.
128 / PARTING SHOTS Our year in pictures
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
40 / DATEBOOK Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa events, “Moriarty” onstage, and “Views of Korea” at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
42 / SPECIAL EVENTS Four ways to welcome 2025
43 / HAPPENINGS 22 things to do this month
44 / PROFILE A native son records a new holiday song.
46 / SPOTLIGHT An arts group finds a home in Hopewell.
48 / PROFILE 1708 Gallery launches a pilot residency program.
LIVING
52 / SHOP TALK Pennant pop-up celebrates city spaces.
54 / Q&A A new perspective in the wellness world
56 / HEALTH Students spit for science.
58 / STYLE New life for old stuff
60 / TRAVEL Mountain towns make great escapes.
64 / FAMILY Story time in Carytown
EAT & DRINK
114 / ROUNDUP 12 days of desserts
116 / AROUND TOWN Caribbean cuisine, food events and Best Bites
118 / SPOTLIGHT Chef Leah Branch dishes on cookbooks and more.
120 / Q&A Meet the city’s new olive oil sommelier.
122 / OPEN TAB Hotel Green’s holiday vibe
122 / PURVEYOR Locally made chili crunch
123 / 5 FAVES Seasonal sips from around the city
124 / PERSPECTIVE Reflecting on the gifts of holidays past
This is just a sneak peek of all the content packed into this month’s issue; don’t miss out, SUBSCRIBE NOW!
