Archive for April, 2008
April 5, 2008
“Messy Cuisine” blog visits Zed Cafe
The Messy Cuisine weblog recently visited Lakeside’s Zed Cafe:
I started with a wonderful brioche and cheese “sandwich” appetizer with apples and walnuts. This dish was absolutely sublime. It was so good, in fact, I could have eaten a mountain of it. The textures and the flavor of butter, apple, an apple-spirit, and the cheese all came together in an interplay of texture, savory flavor and luxurious sweetness. I at once could forgive my dining partner for choosing the appetizer I wanted first, a marinated mozzarella salad with garlicky dressing. This was better.
My appetizer was good, but not superb. I ordered the crab cakes which were served amid a basil butter. Between the two broken cakes were cheesy grits (they were good).
April 5, 2008
Four-way stops draw Council attention
Richmond.com recently spotlighted the issue of four-way stop signs, which have become a popular feature at many city intersections — especially in residential areas. The article highlights the efforts of one North Richmond community to slow traffic near the intersection of Rennie and Noble avenues:
A prime example of the issue occurred at Richmond City Council’s meeting Monday night. There were three cases involving installing all-way stop signs in three different city districts. This time, despite the city’s reservations, council did what their constituents wanted.
Councilman Chris Hilbert (3rd) had requested all-way stops be installed at the intersection of Rennie and Noble avenues in the Northside, but will likely withdraw his request after talking to the Department of Public Works, which worked with the neighbors to determine that speed humps were more appropriate and satisfied the neighbors.
April 5, 2008
Bryan Park is blooming
Bryan Park remains renowned for its grand Azalea Gardens, which have been refurbished in recent years by the City of Richmond, and by the Friends of Bryan Park and other local organizations. The Azalea Loop, a circular roadway that encompasses the gardens, is open to vehicular traffic from April 1 through May 15 of each year.
April 5, 2008
New Community School offers summer programs for middle schoolers
The New Community School on Hermitage Avenue in North Richmond is offering seven summer courses for rising 6th - 8th graders focusing on improving skills in reading, writing, mathematics, keyboarding, organization and physical fitness. The courses run from June 16 through July 11. For course descriptions and dates, e-mail summerprograms@tncs or call 266-2494.
April 5, 2008
Ginter Park Board Meeting this Tuesday
The monthly meeting of the Ginter Park Residents’ Association Board will be held this Tuesday, April 8, at 7:30 pm at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church.
April 5, 2008
Ginter Park Garden Tour is coming in May
Save the date for the annual Ginter Park Garden Tour, which will be held on Saturday, May 17, from 12 noon until 5:00 pm. Advance tickets for this popular spring event will be on sale from May 1 through May 16 for $8; tickets on the day of the tour will be $10. Check the Ginter Park Residents’ Association website for additional details.
April 5, 2008
Garden Week in Virginia spotlights Seminary Avenue
North Richmond’s tree-lined Seminary Avenue will be featured as part of this year’s Historic Garden Week in Virginia on Wednesday, April 23. The walking tour of eight Seminary Avenue homes will take place between 10:00 am and 4:30 pm. Tickets are available for $35 in advance, $40 on the day of the tour or $15 for a single-site admission. The eight homes featured are at 3012 Seminary Avenue, 3013 Seminary Avenue, 3015 Seminary Avenue, 3209 Seminary Avenue, 3214 Seminary Avenue, 3501 Seminary Avenue, 3600 Seminary Avenue and 3604 Seminary Avenue.
Historic Garden Week’s website describes the Seminary Avenue neighborhood as follows:
While located within the city limits of Richmond, the Ginter Park neighborhood has the feel of an old-fashioned Southern town, with its wide, shady streets and spacious houses enjoyed by generations of families. This pleasant neighborhood will be highlighted on the April 23 tour, co-sponsored by Historic Richmond Foundation and The Garden Club of Virginia. The area was conceived and planned in the late-19th century by wealthy industrialist and entrepreneur Major Lewis W. Ginter and was one of Richmond’s first planned communities. The April 23 event takes visitors on a leisurely walking tour along Seminary Avenue in the heart of the neighborhood, which has retained most of its ambiance of the turn of the last century with its old trees, large lawns and a wealth of architecturally diverse homes, renewed for 21st century living. While in the area, be sure to visit the wonderful Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, inspired by Major Ginter and his niece Grace Arents.
Visit the Historic Garden Week website for details.
April 5, 2008
Cornel West speaks at Union-PSCE on April 23
Tickets for the Cornel West lecture at Union-PSCE on Brook Road have been on sale since April 1, and are going fast.
West, an honored professor of Princeton University, will lecture at Union-PSCE on April 23 in Watts Chapel. Seating is limited, and overflow seating is being planned for Lingle Hall.
All those who attend will need a ticket. To reserve yours, please call Peninnah Ziegler at (804) 278-4223.
One of America’s most gifted, provocative, and important public intellectuals, Dr. Cornel West, is known for writing, speaking, and teaching that weaves together the American traditions of the Black Baptist Church, progressive politics, and jazz.
The lecture will be at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23, 2008.
Union-PSCE, located at 3401 Brook Road, is co-sponsoring the event with partners at Virginia Commonwealth University, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, the School of Theology at Virginia Union University, the University of Richmond, Randolph-Macon College, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, and other institutions in the Richmond area.
April 5, 2008
Lakeside Farmers’ Market accepting vendor applications
The new Lakeside Farmers’ Market at Lakeside Towne Center is touting itself as “Henrico County’s only true farmers’ market” and getting ready for its first year. A full-page advertisement on the back page of North of the James magazine notes that the market will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays from May through November, and that applications are now being accepted from interested vendors. For an application, email peter.francisco@verizon.net.
April 5, 2008
Save a bagged tree this spring
A tip of the hat to our friends at Church Hill People’s News for their alert about small trees wrapped in bright green plastic bags:
Got a tree near your house? Does it have a bright green “gator” bag like this one attached to it? If so, please fill it once a week — and maybe even talk with your neighbors about helping you. (The fill-up slot is underneath the label at the top of the bag.) These bags are important to the survival of the small trees — over 50% of new trees fail because of lack of water, and rainfall is short this winter.
April 6, 2008
North Richmond News calendar updated
One of the more tedious projects confronted by the North Richmond News team is keeping the calendar updated. Tedium was the name of the game this weekend — the calendar has been updated with dozens of new North Richmond events and activities.
Email your calendar submissions to us at north.richmond.news@gmail.com and we’ll add them to our listings.
April 6, 2008
Join the North Richmond News mailing list
Every several weeks, the North Richmond News team sends out an email summary of news and calendar information posted to our community website. Click on “subscribe” on the top banner and complete the basic information to add yourself to our regular updates.
April 6, 2008
Update on Groovin’ in the Garden hiatus
In March, we reported that the popular outdoor concert series ‘Groovin’ in the Garden’ — held annually at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens — would not happen in 2008 due to a major renovation of the rose gardens. The Lewis Ginter website recently provided more details:
Construction at LGBG is expected to be completed by early summer 2008. Dedication of the Rose Garden will take place in mid-fall of 2008 allowing the rose plants to establish and mature for a stunning grand opening.
Lewis Ginter’s Groovin’ in the Garden series, hosted by Haymaker Productions, is on hiatus for 2008 during the construction and “settling in” of the new Rose Garden and Belvedere. We are very excited about the return of the series on Thursdays in May and June of 2009, the Garden’s Silver Anniversary Year. Concertgoers will find the performances staged in a greatly expanded and even more beautiful rose garden, with double the hardscape, 1800 new rose plants and a terraced and sodded lawn for the audience. As always, the music will be exceptional, picking up where we left off last year with remarkable acts and record attendance.
April 6, 2008
Gallery opening and appreciation day at Pine Camp
The Pine Camp Arts & Community Center will hold a gallery opening and Customer Appreciation Day on Saturday, April 12, from 10:00 am until 12 noon.
The Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities announce the opening of “Creative Juice,” an exhibit featuring adult art students and instructors from Pine Camp Arts & Community Center. The opening will be held in The Spotlight Gallery on Saturday, April 12, from 10 a.m. until noon. Painting, pottery, weaving, jewelry, and photography will be on display. The exhibit will continue through May 30.
This event will be held in conjunction with the art program’s Customer Appreciation Day. Current students will be treated to free open studios, children can participate in art make-and-take activities, and newcomers are invited to view the art show, observe students working in the studios, and register for spring classes. Participants can sign up to win a free adult or children’s art class, and enjoy coffee, pastries and juice. Spring classes begin April 14.
April 7, 2008
Feathernesters throws a tea party on April 26
On Saturday, April 26, Feathernesters in Lakeside will host a Beatrix Potter Tea Party from 3:00 until 4:30 pm. The tea party is for “the young…and the young at heart” and will feature a reading of the classic children’s story, “The Tale of Peter Rabbit.” Guests will then enjoy an afternoon tea party featuring foods from the story, and a special Peter Rabbit gift. Visit the Feathernesters’ website for details.
April 7, 2008
View Lakeside Avenue revitalization plan
A plan developed by students in VCU’s Department of Urban Planning is not an official look at the future of Lakeside Avenue, but it does present a comprehensive look at some ways the North Richmond commercial district might grow and flourish. A PDF copy of the plan is available at the Discover Lakeside website.
Among the topics explored in the plan — residents opinions on shopping, dining and entertainment options along Lakeside Avenue:
Shoppers were interviewed at The Hub, 7-11, Roy’s Big Burger, Feathernesters, Consignment Connection, and Rite Aid over a period of two weeks in September 2007.
Nearly 60% of those surveyed shop on Lakeside Avenue either weekly or monthly. Just over a third of the respondents (35%) said they seldom shop on Lakeside Avenue. Most participants rated shopping in the district as either good or average, (31% and 32%, respectively); very few respondents rated the shopping as poor (5%). However, a majority of those surveyed expressed lukewarm feelings
about specific retail characteristics of the corridor.Participants had several opportunities to answer open-ended questions regarding their likes and dislikes of the corridor. Many of the shoppers expressed concern that there is simply nothing to do for entertainment. Some respondents went into detail, explaining the need for clusters of restaurants and other forms of entertainment. Expounding on this theme, many participants considered the restaurants (or lack thereof) as one of the weakest aspects of the corridor.
The 60-plus page report is thick with demographics, survey data, opinions of residents, visitors and property owners — and plenty of specific recommendations for improving the Lakeside corridor.
April 7, 2008
Bellevue association website features neighborhood weather
Get hyper-local weather information for the Laburnum Park/Ginter Park area at the Bellevue Residents Association webpage featuring readings from a personal weather station on Confederate Avenue. The readings include temperature, humidity, rainfall and wind direction and speed.
April 7, 2008
New restaurant opens on Brookland Parkway
The Voice newspaper has details on Welcome Table Northside Restaurant and Catering, which opened recently on Brookland Park Boulevard:
Richmond’s 3rd district now has another option when it comes to treating a stomach growl.
With the help of the city’s Commercial Area Revitalization Effort (CARE) rebate program, Chef Gordon and Cheryl Russell were able to open the Welcome Table Northside Restaurant and Catering.
The Russell’s are pleased with the city’s contribution.
“The city gave us a big handout. This is much, but we’ve enjoyed doing it and we’re about catering and feeding the community. When we feed you physically, we can pray with you spiritually,” Russell stated.
Councilman Chris Hilbert met Russell at a past groundbreaking where he shared with Hilbert his dream of owning a restaurant in Richmond.
“We’re excited about the whole concept of Brookland Park Blvd coming back. We’ve cut at least half dozen ribbons for businesses since I’ve been on council and I am looking forward to doing more of that,” Hilbert stated.
April 7, 2008
Three Northside artists hold spring preview
Join North Richmond artists Jerri Buford (recycled artworks), Kim Lavach (jewelry) and Michele Young-Stone (acrylic on wood) at their Artists’ Spring Preview at 5007 West Seminary Avenue this Saturday, April 12, from 2:00 until 6:00 pm.
April 7, 2008
Strawberry Hill Races have roots in Ginter Park
This morning’s Times-Dispatch provides a brief history lesson about one of Richmond’s springtime social events, the Strawberry Hill Races. Apparently, their origins lie here in Ginter Park:
First held in 1895, the charter run was known as “Deep Run Hunt Cup,” and was held on Broad Street Road. Subsequent runs were held at Ginter Park and later, on the grounds of today’s Country Club of Virginia.
During World War I, the Cup went on hiatus and resumed in 1927. It was also suspended during World War II. Today, thousands eagerly watch the races to see who comes away with part of the purses totaling nearly $70,000.
The races are named after the farm, Strawberry Hill, where the races were held on Laburnum Avenue from the 70s to the late 90s. The Strawberry Hill Races moved to Colonial Downs in New Kent County in 2000 which features grandstand seating and two fancy cocktail lounges: the Jockey Club and the Turf Club.






