Whether you’re hanging with your pals or spending time with your sweetheart, there’s plenty to do this Valentine’s week in the River City, including multiple food-focused experiences. More events you’ll love include Curtain Call’s annual consignment sale, new exhibits at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, “Dracula” at the Richmond Ballet, and Squirrel Flower at The Camel. Enjoy!
Eat Your Heart Out
We can dismiss Valentine’s Day as a capitalist plot, or we can sink our teeth into the holiday and consider it an excuse to feast with our favorite person — I prefer the latter. For imbibers, Virago Spirits is hosting The Art of the Cocktail, an intimate class and tasting event, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 13. For lovers looking to take some sweet treats home, Sub Rosa Bakery has chocolate-dipped heart-shaped cookies and chocolate hazelnut-praline croissants available for presale. And in Church Hill, Alewife is rolling out a three-course prix fixe menu ($75) including a toasted coconut panna cotta that is calling my name.
—Eileen Mellon, Food Editor
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In Bloom
Squirrel Flower, the moniker of folksy indie rocker Ella Williams, hits up The Camel on Thursday, Feb. 15, and it’s a show that’s been on my radar for months. Last year’s brooding but excellent album “Tomorrow’s Fire” further defined Williams’ place in a genre (her self-proclaimed “witch rock”) that rubs shoulders with the likes of boygenius, Snail Mail, Mitski and others. Opening performers include fellow indie rocker Greg Mendez and the Richmond-based band Hotspit, who will release their debut record this year. The concert starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are $18.
—Mark Newton, News Editor
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Dance With the Undead
Not so many years ago, vampires went from horror legends to romantic icons in popular culture, with books, movies and other entertainment shifting the mythology for an entire generation. Perhaps inspired by this, the Richmond Ballet is hoping to turn the most well-known vampire into a great date night with its production of “Dracula” at the Dominion Energy Center, Feb. 16-18. Bram Stoker’s early Gothic fiction about the blood-drinking Transylvanian nobleman is presented onstage through classical dance and supported by the music of Franz Liszt. This just might be the event that proves your undying love. Tickets start at $25.
—Kevin Johnson, Lifestyle Editor
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The Endurance of Perseverance
This month, The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia presents both the work of French-born artist Sandrine Plante and a photography showcase of early-20th-century African Americans. The nine sculptures in Plante’s “Stolen Lives, Dreamed Lives” exhibition depict the torturous odyssey from slavery to endangered freedom. On Feb. 16, actor, director, writer and Norfolk native Tim Reid will moderate a discussion with Plante from 6 to 8 p.m., and on Feb. 17, Plante will host a documentary screening from 2 to 3 p.m. followed by an artist talk. “Visions of Progress” expands upon the exhibition curated by the University of Virginia’s Special Collections Library, featuring photographs by the Black-owned Holsinger Studio that preserve the spirit and style of Black Virginians as individuals. Both exhibitions close Feb. 29.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer
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The Call of Consignment
When the thrill of the hunt for home decor and furnishings beckons, there’s no better stalking ground than the annual Curtain Call Spring Consignment Sale, which continues through Feb. 25. Shop for previously loved furniture, window treatments, artwork, fabrics, antiques, bedding and rugs in designer and more modest options. This mega consignment sale — offering more than 14,000 high-quality items — has it all, including designer handbags and fine china. The sale is hosted in the former JCPenney space in Regency mall, 1420 N. Parham Road.
—Susan Morgan, R•Home Managing Editor
Other Suggestions
- Harvey Fierstein’s “Torch Song” opens at Richmond Triangle Players on Feb. 14 and continues through March 9.
- Taking a modern approach to traditional Lebanese and Syrian music, Layale Chaker and Sarafand perform at the University of Richmond’s Camp Concert Hall with guest artist Kinan Azmeh on Feb. 16.
- Fresh off the release of their new single, “Her Way Out,” Big Head Todd and The Monsters rock The National on Feb. 17.
- The Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia presents “The Life and Legacy of Enslaved Virginian Emily Winfree” at Magnolia Grange House Museum on Feb. 17.
- Dubbed “an American original” by Rolling Stone, singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston stops at The Tin Pan with Americana pioneer Steve Forbert on Feb. 18.
More to Love
- At PlantHouse, create a Galentine’s Day terrarium on Feb. 13 and join the Valentine’s Day Terrarium in a Bottle workshop on Feb. 14.
- Celebrate an Artful Valentines, embarking on a themed scavenger hunt at Art Works on Feb. 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Head to the North Avenue branch of Richmond Public Library for Valentine’s Cards Craft Time on Feb. 14.
- Enjoy line dancing, cornhole, food and more during NES Cornhole Lounge’s Valentine’s Dance Party Day on Feb. 14.
- The Virginia War Memorial hosts a virtual program, “Valentine’s Day During Wartime,” on Feb. 14.
River City Roundup is Richmond magazine’s weekly compilation of the best things to see, do and experience in the region, compiled by our editors. Get each week’s installment directly in your inbox every Monday by subscribing to our e-newsletter.