Photo by Dmitri Popov/Unsplash
Richmond Has Pride
Pride weekend, celebrating RVA’s LGBTQ+ community and their supporters, is upon us again. Kick off the weekend with a dance party at Flora starting Friday at 10:30 (yes, that’s 10:30 in the evening, for us geriatrics) with deejays and drinks — $5 admission goes to support Side by Side, the youth LGBTQ+ organization formerly known as ROSMY.
The big day, VA Pridefest, is Saturday, on Brown’s Island from noon to 8 p.m. Expect to see live performances and more than a few food trucks, including Mellow Mushroom, Carytown Burger & Fries, and Happy Empanada. Local beer makers Ardent Craft Ales, Center of the Universe, and Hardywood will be pouring drinks — one of which, Tropic Like It’s Hot, is a collaboration by all three just for this weekend. Many downtown parking decks will be open for easy access to the island, or you can just Uber it.
If all that hasn’t worn you out, Saturday night will see a number of parties across the city. Barcode, the popular gay bar on Grace, will kick things off at 8 with drinks and food late into the night. Down the road, Yaki will host an evening with skewers and drink specials including Jell-O shots and pineapple daiquiris, plus music and other shenanigans — proceeds to benefit Side by Side. A little higher in the clouds, Kabana Rooftop will be pulling out all the stops for the Loud and Proud Pride Party — advance tickets are on sale for $5, $10 at the door, to benefit OutRVA and Pride RVA.
If you survive all that, drag yourself over to the Quirk Hotel rooftop the next day for a Hair of the Dog afternoon tea party starting at 2 p.m. The “tea” will be a bit more than medicinal.
But That’s Not the Only Party in Town
Restaurants come and go. Some in the blink of an eye, while for others a good run is considered lasting more than five years. A restaurant that makes it 15 years? That’s a big deal. Jason Alley’s Comfort commemorates that impressive milestone this weekend — Saturday, to be exact, although the festivities will last through the week. To celebrate, they’re rolling out a new menu, offering up $15 entrees as well as specials on PBRs and shots of Kentucky Gentleman. Plus they’ll be dusting off some old tunes from 2002 to dial up the nostalgia. Unfortunately, the No. 1 song for the year was “How You Remind Me” by Nickelback (maybe let’s forget that part). Alley has another very big reason to celebrate, as he shared in a My Take column for the October issue of Richmond magazine.
’Tis the Season
No, no, not Christmas — it’s the fall arts season. Plays. Operas. The symphony. The perfect thing to go with cooler weather. But then there’s the problem of getting dinner and a show beforehand. Quirk Hotel comes to the rescue with a pre-theater dinner menu at Maple & Pine, prix fixe at $36, including two courses from Chef David Dunlap with such delights as a pork schnitzel from Autumn Olive Farms or a curried mussel soup to start things off. Available between 5 to 7 p.m. with ticket stubs.
Just down the street, you can get a three-course pre-theater meal at Bistro 27 for … $27. Choose from special salads and entrees plus a dessert, and don’t forget to bring your parking stub; they’ll credit you $5 or $7 for the lot behind the building. Make reservations through Open Table and mention “pre-theater” in the comments. Après theater, pop back in for drink and appetizer specials to relax and unwind after the show. I understand the prosecco flows quite freely then.
More Spins of the RVADine Merry-Go-Round
Sad news as The Betty on Davis announces they are closing this Sunday — pop in for their final brunch to say goodbye. Les Crepes opens a second location in the old Acacia space in Carytown this week; the original is in Stony Point. Yaki announces they will move and refocus in the new year, with Chef/owner Johnny Maher behind the line for the first time in years. And, via the Richmond Times-Dispatch, a former Ruby Tuesday chef announces he’s taking over the old Kinsfolk spot in South Side with a New Orleans-themed eatery.
News From Beyond
But What About Barb?
Fans of the Netflix series “Stranger Things” better move fast: A popular pop-up themed after the cult hit is scheduled to wrap up its run in Chicago on Oct. 1. Serving up Eggo-garnished cocktails and show-specific décor, the bar was so popular among show fans that observers speculated it would stay open past its scheduled six-week run. Alas, the hopes were dashed by a very tongue-in-cheek cease-and-desist letter from the Upside Down.
It’s All in the Name
Product names can be simply descriptive or created to evoke an emotion or a feeling. Sometimes, they are unintentionally accurate. Take Death Wish Coffee, billed by its sellers as “the world’s strongest coffee.” That may be the case, although the FDA has described the company's nitro-brewed coffee sold in cans as potentially processed in such a way as to “lead to the growth and production of the deadly toxin botulin.” After the recall is done, they may want to consider a different name.
