Happy Allergy Season! Spring has sprung, and with that comes a lovely yellow dusting on everything. The cars, the roads, mailboxes, door handles… the inside of our lungs (probably). But aside from the seasonal pollen attacks, come some things that we can actually look forward to. A sinus headache? Runny nose? Another dose of Claritin? No… It’s finally springtime in RVA! Once you’ve finished rubbing your itchy, watery eyes until they turn red, you start to notice that the whole world seems to come back to life! The colorful city somehow becomes brighter, everything feels fresh and new, and you finally get to see all of your friends awaken from a long winter hibernation just in time to grab a beer with you!
Courtesy of the @onesouthrealtygroup Instagram 
Courtesy of the @onesouthrealtygroup Instagram
Here are a few new things you can look forward to doing while you celebrate this warm weather…
Restaurants…
Let’s face it – we’re all foodies here.
Duck Donuts — The brand new location just kicked off this Saturday, after the Monument Ave 10K! The store is located inside the historic Altria Theater. But you don’t need to be a theater attendee to get yourself a delicious hot donut! Lucky for us, the store is open 7 days a week and can be accessed from 6 N Laurel Street. Woohoo!
Benny Ventanos – One word: Pizza. $4 for a slice of cheese. $5 for a slice of pepperoni or Italian sausage. Oh, did I mention that the slices are bigger than your head? And, if you have hungry friends, $38 for a whole 28-inch pie ($30 for a whole cheese). The restaurant will feature two special pizzas every month, on top of their three year-round regulars: cheese, pepperoni, or Italian sausage. 2501 W Main Street… Dangerously close to our office.
Charlotte’s Southern Deli & Tapas – Do yourself a favor and rush over to 200 S 10th Street A.S.A.P! Open for breakfast, lunch, and tapas. This place features a simple concept with mouthwatering flavors. For breakfast, they’ve got fresh coffee, homemade pastries, and breakfast sandwiches that will right any wrong morning. And, what could possibly make lunch any better? Homemade deli meats. That’s right. Lunch sandwiches with big flavor. And southern-style tapas after 3PM. Plan your out-of-office meetings accordingly, people!
Entertainment…
Ensure a good time, rain or shine!
Hamilton – Coming to Richmond’s very own Altria Theater November 19th – December 8th, 2019! For those of us who haven’t seen Hamilton (myself included), it’s the story of America, told with today’s jams. I’ll be first in line with a Duck Donut in hand! Other shows like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Cats, Fiddler on the Roof, and Wicked, are also en route to Richmond’s Broadway performance season. It all kicks off late fall of 2019.
VMFA – The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is almost ready to welcome their new exhibit, Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment, to their expansive collection. From April 27th through August 18th , be sure to grab your tickets and get ready to explore the nearly 100 objects of Buddhist art from the 9th Century all the way to 2016. When you’re through, spend some time relaxing on the beautiful lawn and enjoy the VMFA’s little slice of heaven out back.
Just go exploring! – There’s nothing like the city we live in, this place is truly one of a kind. I’ve always thought that there’s no excuse for being bored in Richmond! Take a stroll around Hollywood Cemetery. Attend a festival. Give the Canal Walk a go. Reserve your spot on a food tour. Shop around Carytown. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy a view of the James from Brown’s Island. So grab a friend, or make a new one, because there’s plenty to do this spring and it’s right in front of us!
Breweries…
Because it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.
Tabol Brewing – For those who don’t know, a new brewery opened in Northside this February! What’s unique about this brewery is that they barrel-age their beers! Whaaaat? Just trust me, go try it. You won’t be disappointed. 704 Dawn Street. From the atmosphere, to the beer and the food. You’ll want to hang out here all day. And you actually can – just don’t let your boss catch you.
Dogtown Brewing Company – Coming soon to Manchester… The long awaited arrival of Richmond’s newest brewery and restaurant with rooftop bar! Located at 1209 Hull Street, the neighborhood is absolutely buzzing with excitement for Dogtown’s doors to finally open. Dogtown is joining its sister companies, Hot Diggity Donuts and The Butterbean Market & Café, along the historic Hull Street corridor. They’ve already got some summer festivals set up for us to look forward to!
“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘let’s party!’”—Robin Williams
