Monument Ave’s Easter on Parade: an RVA Staple

This year, the Richmond tradition (staple, whatever) took place on Sunday April 20^th from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Monument Avenue between the intersections of Davis and Allen Avenues.  This year the event was produced by Venture Richmond and sponsored by Bon Secours.

I call it a “staple” not only bc it reportedly lures more than 25,000 visitors each year (according to their Venture Richmond page) but bc there is a group of people who not only look forward to the event every year, they put a LOT of time and effort into preparing for the event.  And I don’t mean event organizers; I mean bonnet and pet bonnet competition contestants, and/or people who take their outfits or their pet’s outfits very seriously.  After all, it’s called Easter on Parade for a reason:  there is no actual parade, bc WE are the parade.  So bless their hearts – they are what make this event great.  And outside of that group, most people want to know when this event is so they can plan their Easter Sunday morning/afternoon around going before, after, or between seeing family.  Even if someone wasn’t aware or completely forgot that Easter on Parade was happening, it wouldn’t be weird or uncommon for him or her to find them self all of a sudden walking over to check out the spectacle on Monument Ave.

This year I went with two friends after a quick brunch at Metro Bar & Grill on Robinson St., so we were able to find parking far enough away from the madness (always prepare for that if you’re driving! Parking is difficult when everyone’s trying to get close to the same four block stretch) and then walk over with ease.  Like every year, they had the crowd favorites:  the bonnet competition at 4:00, the pet bonnet showcase at 3:00, the Ronald McDonald House set up outside their office with Mr. McDonald posing for photos (along with Grimace and the Hamburglar this year!), a petting zoo, bands, and lots of dressed up doggies.

Bands this year included the Upper East Side Band, Voodoo Dolls and the Meadow Street band.  Roving performers included Jonathon the Juggler (a Richmond staple in his own right), More or Less Morris Dancers, and Peggy the Clown and the Stilt Walking Clown.  And the crowd was not especially dense this year (at least when I was there) yet still did not disappoint with the colorful/festive/possibly just flat out weird outfits.  There was also arts, crafts, children’s activities, food and balloon artistry (what a fancy term lol).

If you live in Richmond and haven’t been to Easter on Parade yet, you’re just ridiculous.  Definitely check it out next year.  You can find more information at the Venture Richmond website (which may have a different link next year, just FYI).  What else is there to say? That can’t be said better with PICTURES J Hope you enjoy my photo montage of this year’s Easter on Parade.

(These guys were playing "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes as we walked by, and I just really like them for that :) Thanks, strangers on porch)

(Told ya there were some weird outfits)

My RVA Fashion Week 2014: Part 6 Designer Show Fitting

Sunday April 13^th, 2014

For this MANDATORY meeting (which was the first time that word had been used, and it was used several times in all CAPS) models and designers met at Mix Gallery at 12 W. Broad Street.  This was our first 85 degree day of the year. Hooray!  But I was waiting in front of wall of windows in the sun with very little AC for over an hour. Boooo.

This is when we started to get solid information as to when the shows would take place, when the fittings would be, and when we would know what shows we would be in.  Then all the designers (minus two who couldn’t make it and had a whoooole fitting set up just for them the following weekend, ugh for the models) had models come over to try on one piece each that they would be wearing in the Designer Show on Friday May 2^nd.

Some designers had already seen the models at a previous workshop and picked specific ones they wanted.  But they still needed extra models, and some designers were just seeing us for the first time and picking all their models at once.  I felt like I was back in elementary, feeling scared that I was going to be picked last for dodge ball.  I wasn’t picked last…but I was pretty damn close lol.  I was like, “What’s wrong with me?! Why?!”

But I ended up going to a designer named Nijole, and I actually really like the dress she ended up putting me in.  That doesn’t usually happen for me.  In the past I’ve always seen what other people were put in and thought how much I’d love to wear it (and sometimes that I would look better in it – I don’t care if that sounds bratty!  I got long legs and sometimes they do more justice to short skirts, dresses, etc. than people with short legs. Sorry I’m not sorry!).  I know it’s “the grass is always greener” stuff, but that’s what makes it so nice that this time I’m totally content with the option that was assigned to me.  I just hope they don’t change it last minute lol Bc that’s definitely happened to me, too.

But after trying on the dress (with the assistance of two nice girls who were also in the tiny bathroom with me while we all changed), I went to show the designer, she said she’d just have to make some small easy alterations, and I was good to get changed back into street clothes and get outta there!  This meeting took about an hour instead of the two, and was the most fun meeting (IMO) so far.  And finally started to get excited about being in the shows!  HooRAY! (Oh, and I also booked a hair modeling gig by going to this meeting! Double HooRAY!)

My RVA Fashion Week 2014: Part 5 Third Model Workshop

Sunday March 9^th, 2014

I missed the 2^nd model workshop bc it was my birthday and had dinner with my family, so now I have to skip ahead to the 3^rd model workshop.

This workshop took place at Glave Kocen Gallery at 1620 W. Main St. at 3:00 p.m.  We were told ahead of time to wear sneakers but bring our heels.  I read this as “bring comfortable shoes that at least resemble sneakers”.  I just figured we’d be doing some sort of exercise to help our walk techniques.  In actuality, I just had the exercise part right.

We were in for a “Model Bootcamp”.  And like a genius, I wore my most fashionable but most uncomfortable pair of sneakers- floral old-school high tops that had about an inch of height in the heel. Lame!  But luckily the “workout” was more like an easy warm up for any fitness class I’ve ever been in.  Plus I was still nursing a knee injury I’d been trying to heal for months, so I got to pass on certain exercises.  While I failed to even work up a sweat, it did get my heart rate up and it was hilarious to see all the models (in our white t-shirts/tank tops and black leggings or jeans) jumping around and running in place in this narrow gallery space.  I was also surprised to hear the amount of groans during the workout, making it sound like a lot of these models didn’t actually work out. Like ever. Damn youngins.

(Photo courtesy of Jimmy Budd)

Then it was time for walk practice, and this time a veteran of New York Fashion Week came down to give each of us pointers on our walks.  I was around the 4^th person to go bc I was in a rush to get out of there (had a shoot the next day in DC and still needed to finalize some things).  Unforunately, the one time we had a legit person there who could give me good, valuable advice, my knee injury affected my walk so much that I couldn’t full extend my left leg or put too much pressure on it.  Apparently this made my walk look like I was just “going to the grocery store”.  I was the first person who had to go back and repeat the walk 2 or 3 times.  But on the plus side, I was told that my facial expression and poses were great! So yay! 

Then that was it for me and I was out of there while the rest of the models waited in line for their turn.  Man, I hope my knee is 100% healed before Fashion Week…nervousneeeeeess….

My RVA Fashion Week 2014: Part 4 First Model Workshop

Sunday Feb. 9^th, 2014

This was our official first “workshop” where we were supposed to get critiques and suggestions on our walks, get more solid information about the RVA FW show schedule, and try to iron out some more wrinkles (I guess that was more of a goal for board members).  This was also the time for people who missed the first workshop to get their official RVA Fashion Week model headshots taken (by Mr. Jc Vera).

Once again, we all met at the First National Apartments on Main St. in the middle of the city.  At first we were told that since no RVA Fashion Week “seasoned vets”, or experts I guess, were able to make it to this meeting bc it was such short notice (we were told about it probably around 2 weeks prior to the date), this would be a short meeting and more informational than anything else. WRONG.

They went over some quick bullet points about what their plan was for hosting more workshops and how they would communicate with us in the future (by e-mail but also by a Facebook group that all models needed to join), but they didn’t really have any new or more definite information about the fittings or shows.

Then they decided they were going to call us over in groups to walk.  All the guys went at one time since there were about 10 of them. 

Then they called about 10 girls at a time in alphabetical order.  This took FOREVER.  It involved a lot of sitting around, which was nice for getting to know more people.  Then after we were all done, they read out a list of names of people they wanted to stay and the rest could go home.  My name was called.  At first I thought this could be a good thing, but no, I quickly figured out these were people they thought needed extra help on their walk.

The original time slot for this workshop was 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.  I left probably at 7:00 and there were still people there that had to wait even longer.  However, I did finally get some good constructive criticism…about not swinging my arms so much, which I was told TO do during my audition.  Apparently I’m having trouble finding the happy medium.  But yay, at least I’m learning!  But having to stay that late just to be told “Don’t swing your arms so much”, then walk one more time and have them be like “There ya go! You can leave” was a little eye-roll inducing.  But still, at least I finally knew what they expected.

Go Ape in the Treetops of Williamsburg!

Now that the weather’s finally getting nice, are you looking for fun new things to do outside?  Alternatives to the normal activities;things you may never have thought of?  Let me just put this idea out there:  treetop obstacle course.  Now stick with me...

Go Ape is an award winning company and “the USA’s no. 1 zip line and treetop adventure” (according to their website).  They have treetop courses in numerous locations throughout the East coast, including one in Freedom Park in Williamsburg, VA, less than an hour from Richmond.  What they do is equip participants with harnesses, pulleys, and carabiners (a metal loop with a spring-loaded gate – you’ve probably seen this used most in wall climbing) and then go over a 30 minute safety briefing and training.  Then participants are free to enjoy 2-3 hours of fun and exercise.  Instructors are always on hand and walking around/patrolling, but participants are basically on their own.

They have the Go Ape Treetop Adventure for everyone 10 years old and up and 4’7” and taller.  This is the course we did and it includes rope ladders, 37 crossings, two Tarzan swings (!!!) and five zip lines.  But there is also the Go Ape Treetop Junior, which is for adventurers younger than 10 who are 3’3” and taller and is the first Go Ape course in the U.S. designed and built for youngins that can’t do the normal course yet. How neat!  It utilizes an easy-to-use safety system is made up of 20 obstacles and two zip lines.  Whereas the regular course takes about 2-3 hours, this course takes 1-1.5 hours.

(SAFETY FIRST!)

I don’t know how all of the courses are (obviously; there are a lot) or even if they’re all the same, but the one in Freedom Park was divided up into five obstacle course “stations”.  For each station you’re climbing up a ladder to a platform at the start of the first obstacle, going through the course, and then taking a zip line down to the ground so you can start the next station.

I went with three friends in September last year.  We had the BEST time.  It was challenging yet realistically achievable for everyone.  There are several different paths to take within each station when the course reaches really challenging obstacles.  So you can either challenge yourself and take the hard way, or if you know you’re getting too tired, or have an injury you don’t want to aggravate, or you just straight up don’t want to do so something, there’s an easy alternative way to get to the same place everyone else is going.

(I HATED these things, for example. I should've taken the easy route...but didn't)

Even my friend who was afraid of heights had a blast.  She was nervous to just climb to the top of the first station’s platform, but by the end of that short station, she was swinging on a rope swing into a rope net (I WAS SO EXCITED THEY HAVE “TARZAN” SWINGS!! Can you tell?) and ready to go down the zip line and onto the next station.  She got nervous a few times, sure; but she completed everything and had fun doing it.  She had such a big smile on her face when we were all done.  She really enjoyed it AND got to feel proud of herself.  Hey, we all did (that is, got to feel proud of her as well as ourselves for completing everything).

THERE SHE GOES! No fear!

And when they say (on the website) that they provide fun and exercise, they ain’t kiddin’.  We could tell (to be read:  feel as soon as we got in the car) that we gave our muscles a workout without over exerting ourselves.

We also chose a time of year that allowed for the perfect weather.  I think it was in the upper 60’s and sunny all morning (and our group started at noon).  Obviously if you go in July or August, be prepared to sweat your ass off in that summer heat, even though about 90% of the course is shaded.  However, I would imagine that trying to go when it’s too cold could be very painful on your hands, which are constantly gripping ropes and metal rings and having to manipulate the clips on your harness.

And to round out the reasons of why this experience was so awesome: the staff at Go Ape!  I have to give them a big shout out because, for whatever reason (I really do forget), we were late to our scheduled course.  They want you there 10-15 minutes early since they take you out in a group with other visitors (unless there are 14 people in your group, which is the number of spaces available at each time) to go over how to use the harnesses and rules of the course.  They want to give everyone a chance to get there, but they also want to start on time to keep things running smoothly (naturally, understandable).  We were running about 15 minutes late which would’ve held the group up, and we were worried we weren’t going to get to go at all.  What if the rest of the groups for that day were completely full?  Turns out, the rest of the groups WERE full…but someone very nice at Go Ape managed to squeeze us into the next scheduled time anyway.  And our instructor, “guide”, whatever you wanna call the guy who showed us how to do everything and looked after us at the first station, was super nice and fun.

So we really did have the best time and an overall great day.  It took us about two hours to complete the course and we went to a popular local BBQ place for lunch afterwards since we were starving and needed to sit and relax our muscles.  For $55/person (or $35 for 10-17 yr olds and $25 for the junior adventure) we got exercise, great nature views, a lot of laughs, excitement, and one of us even got over (if only temporarily) a major fear.  I definitely recommend you give this a shot, for so many reasons. 

Find more information about the Freedom Park course at their Go Ape website and schedule your trip as far in advance as you like!  Just don’t wait until the last minute, especially if you have a big group.  Their start times are every 30 minutes, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m.  It’s definitely a cool place to hang out (see what I did there? Hang).

I WENT APE AND I FRIGGIN LOVED IT :D

Where Republic Once Stood, Now There is The Pig and Pearl

The Pig and Pearl opened its doors at 2053 W. Broad St. back in November of 2013.  I think I visited it for the first time the first few days it was open, and I've been back many times since.

There are two main lures of Pig and Pearl.  One is their spirits.  They have over 100 bottles of whiskey, bourbon, and scotch.  I tried Prichard’s Double Barrel Bourbon for $14 for a 1.5 oz pour (versus the heavy pour at $16).  My friend was very excited to try their Yamazaki, a Japanese blended whiskey.  And he said it was really good and he liked it.  I think he even got it again the next time we visited. #proof!  They also have beer and wine, of course.  But for a full list of their spirits, check out their drink menu here.

The second main lure is they are one of the few (possibly only?) city bars to also boast a smoking section with a “cigar bar” (i.e. a cigar menu).  I don’t know much about cigars (yet) so I went for the cheapy and got a Shockoe Valley Flavor for $7, and I really liked it.  I can’t go into dissecting it since I don’t know what I’m talking about yet lol, but it’s described on their cigar menu as "a petite corona featuring the flavor of vodka and cranberry. Mild and sweet this is a perfect after dinner aperitif."  Their cigars range from $7 for my little Shockoe Valley Flavor to $22 for the Samuel Adams Utopia and Cohiba Robusto.  Their full cigar menu can be found here. 

But of course, it is a restaurant after all.  So let's talk about the food.  Several times, I've tried the Rocket Tost, which are tater tots, Sriracha, jalapeños, Monterey jack, house bacon bits for $10.

I’ve also tried the Spinach Artichoke Dip, which is panko crusted and served with crostini, for $9.  Long story short, I wasn’t impressed.  Just run-of-the-mill.

Wanna try something neat (i.e. different and delicious)?  Try the Southern Gentleman’s Burger.  It's a ground beef patty, pimento cheese, fried green tomatoes, bacon, bourbon and blackstrap molasses BBQ sauce on a Brioche roll for $12.

(Sorry! Really wish I took a pic but I was too excited and scarfed it down!)

Finally, I have for words for you:  Salted Chocolate Caramel Cake.  As The Pig and Pearl website puts it, it's "five inches of salty-sweet heaven!" It's layers of rich chocolate cake with chocolate icing, Shyndigz caramel sauce and "a sprinkling of flour de sel sea salt between each layer", and it's your's for just $7.  You'll notice the emphasis on the Shyndigz sauce.  For anyone who's been there, you know that place knows how to do sweets right!

So overall, the liquor selection and cigar bar are the only two things setting this place apart from any other bar in Richmond (and McCormack's Whiskey Grill on Robinson St. provides a more expansive overall liquor selection, so they have some competition nearby on that front).  The food is mediocre.  Some things are really good, don't get me wrong.  But overall, nothing special.  I like the place though.  I hope that it has better luck staying open that its previous tennants.  

Check out the official Pig and Pearl website here.  They're open from 4:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, and then from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. Thursday through Sunday.  They often host events (like for the NCAA tournaments, the Richmond Flying Squirrels, and other relevant local sporting events) so be sure to check out the events section of the site, too.

RVA Hogtoberfest: A Great Alternative to RVA-B-Q

Now I'm not gonna spend any time actually bashing RVA-B-Q.  It's alright.  As long as you know that you're just going to eat BBQ at an overly crowded farmer's market.  That's all I'm saying.

But RVA’s annual Hogtoberfest for 2013 took place on Oct. 5th in Libby Hill Park (2801 E. Franklin St.) in Richmond’s historic Church Hill district; a beautiful more spacious location to eat BBQ, drink beer, and enjoy the last of the warm weather for the year.  And on top of having more space with (possibly) less people, you have some of the most beautiful views of the city.

(Ok in certain places, at certain times, there were a lot of people)

BBQ sponsors included Richmond staples like Alamo BBQ and Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue (among many others).  However there were also vegetarian options provided by the Mosaic Food Truck, like vegan brisket (they also served non-vegetarian food like Korean barbecue sliders).

 The Halligan's Bar fire truck

 Of course I had to get Alamo

And my new favorite portable dessert company King of Pops was there with maple bacon and chocolate bacon popsicles.

And of course there was beer, provided by Brown Distributing (and apparently Shock Top was a presenting sponsor), and wine.  Why wouldn’t there be?

On the live stage, music was provided by bands like The Southern Belles, People’s Blues of Richmond, and The Hit List.  By the time we go there, we only get to catch the full performance of Long Arms around 3:30.  They were more folk/indie with a little rock, but we also heard the end and beginning of other bands that were more bluegrassy.  Regardless, the live bands of Richmond were an excellent accent to the scenery, food, and overall atmosphere.

Since this was basically a big neighborhood event (that the whole city was welcome to join) there were lots of family activities like face painting, balloon animals, and an arts and crafts play station.  And I saw some little games and cut outs for photo ops and such.

And an interesting new experience was trying the Newport News Airport’s flight simulator van…truck…vehicle thing.  In the Style Weekly article, it says “Church Hill has the best view of Richmond, and no you can fly right above it”.  It didn’t look like I was flying above Richmond on the screen…there was a lot of water…like ocean style.  But hey, it was still really cool. For about 10 minutes. Then I got bored.  But I’m ADD soooo…..

Anyway, it was definitely a really good time in some BEAUTIFUL unseasonal weather.  I look forward to attending the 2014 Hogtoberfest for sure!

You can find out more information at the Style Weekly Hogtober article from last year, and in the meantime keep your eyes peeled around September or October for more info about plans for this year’s event.  Just remember to leave extra time to find parking on the streets of Church Hill!