Now that we have been in NYC for over a week, I have had time to think about what I miss most in Richmond. Obviously our friends and the people who made our time there so great top anything on the list below, so other than people, here are my top 10 for the RIC:
1. The Visual Arts Center
- This lovely place is where i took classes in pottery, watercolor painting, and creativity and motherhood, and they were all absolutely fantastic. The teachers, the students, the lessons - it was really one of my happy places in Richmond and I cannot recommend it enough.
- CCNS was such a great school for both of my very different girls. It is a small, kind, caring community of excellent teachers and great parents, and I was very sad to say goodbye to the school. If you have a child between the ages of 15 months and 5 years, check out Canterbury. Mia, the director, is wonderful, and tell her I sent you. (Hopefully she won't say, " Katie who?")
3. bbgb
- I have posted about this sweet little children's bookstore in The Fan before, but it is definitely on my RIC top 10 list, so here I go again. I am a total nut for children's books, especially picture books, and while Barnes and Noble usually has what I am looking for, I really enjoy a more intimate place for book browsing sometimes. Taking the girls to a huge bookstore to look around is just too stressful and exhausting - I lose them among the shelves of books and toys, and they usually end up begging for some junky book or toy. At bbgb, the selection is fun and unusual (but you can still find most classics), the space is small enough that the kids can look around on their own, and the women who work there are extremely knowledgeable about children's books. It's just a great little place that is charming and wonderful, and I never left empty-handed.
- Most Saturday mornings during the spring, summer, and fall, this is where you could find us. We would go to buy fresh fruits and veggies, of course, but there were so many tasty food trucks or stands and fun music to listen to that it also just became a great morning out. B loved the shaved ice guys (whom we haven't seen there for a year), the girls loved the ice cream and the music man (a guy who was always there, belting out tunes while playing the guitar - we still don't know his real name, but we affectionately always refer to him as the music man), and I just kind of loved it all. The fresh pasta from Bombolini, the freshly baked breads, the incredible assortment of fruits and vegetables, and the various musicians...it was all incredible. We would often go and spend 2-3 hours there, so if you've never been, plan on making a morning out of it (I think it's only open from 8am - noon on Saturdays).
- This may seem a bit random, but the fountain at Stony Point provided so many hours of fun for my girls that it was definitely one of our favorite places to go play in the warm weather. The girls would be grinning from the moment we arrived until we left, and I loved watching them have so much fun. Ok, here is another random tidbit, but one that mothers will appreciate: the bathrooms at Stony Point are lovely. They have 2 huge family bathrooms with small toilets and sinks for the kids, regular size toilets and sinks for the adults, and enough room to change out of wet bathing suits. If we went to the fountain in the afternoon, we would often hop on over to Chipotle for dinner afterwards. Done and done!
terrible photo. not mine. sorry.
- If you still eat carbs, like my family and I do, go to Montana Gold and get yourself some bread. It is absolutely delicious. The Hearty White is great for sandwiches, the Cinnamon Swirl makes the best french toast, and the Blue Ridge Mountain Herb is great on it's own. The shop is in Carytown, but if you go to the South of the James Farmers Market, they are usually there. Oh, and if you like pumpkin or banana breads, don't forget to try theirs. Ours never lasted more than a day.
- The VMFA is an incredibly beautiful place, filled with some truly incredible art. Whether you are interested in architecture, photography, Japanese woodblock prints, sculpture, or contemporary art (just to name a few), you will not be disappointed by their collection. If you go, don't miss their outdoor sculpture garden and peaceful deck/fountain area. This place is like a little haven of calm and peace (as long as my girls aren't there!).
8. Stuzzi
- This tasty Italian restaurant is one of our family's favorites. We all love the pizza margherita, B and I love the arugula salad with shaved parmesan, and the penne with vodka sauce is rich and delicious. Oh, and if your kids need something to do before the food arrives at the table (as our girls do), ask for balls of dough to play with. Fun and tasty food for all!
9. Sweet Frog
- When Sweet Frog first opened, I would pick the girls up from school and take them there...well...way too often. So, I had to make a once a week rule so we didn't spend all of our money there, and it became our Friday afternoon treat. Sweet Frog is a self-serve frozen yogurt place with lots of flavors and tons of toppings. Whatever you are in the mood for (chocolatey goodness or tart yogurt with fruit), you can find it there. Oh, I could really go for one right now thinking about the balmy 97 degree day we are having here in NYC.
- This is by far the nicest public library I have ever been to. The children's area is huge and has a great selection for all ages, and the adult areas are comfortable, clean, and great. I would sometimes go on my own to just sit and read their magazines (they had every magazine I could have possibly wished for) while looking out on their beautifully landscaped garden out back. The gals and I would go for story time and to chose books, books on CD, or videos. Checking out was always a breeze with many self checkout stations throughout, and returning books in person or via the drive through made it all as easy and pleasant as possible. What a great place!
