Plus, Richmond ranks high on rooftop dining
 
08.30.2023 6AM-Top banner logo-small.png

SUBSCRIBE | REFER
6AM City In-house

Today’s Forecast

49º | Sunny | 5% chance of rain
Sunrise 7:24 a.m. | Sunset 5:07 p.m.
 

Culture

VCU student’s mural educates and illustrates
A colorful mural on the side of a parking garage depicting two stylized figures, as seen from a nearby parking lot
Pearl’s mural, as seen from a nearby parking lot | Photo by RICtoday
You may have noticed a new mural overlooking Lombardy Street near Broad. The piece, painted by VCU undergrad Sirena Pearl, serves as both an art piece and an educational installation.

The mural centers around urban heat islands, a phenomenon in which specific neighborhoods in cities are significantly warmer than others, often as a result of historic redlining. This occurs when natural features like trees are replaced by heat-absorbing materials like concrete.

The mural exemplifies the effects of heat islands in its two central figures. One represents a heat island and one personifies a cool, sustainable city. The paint used for the former, however, is designed to absorb heat, meaning that side of the mural will be significantly hotter.

The project was inspired by an exhibit at the Science Museum of Virginia called “See the Heat,” a joint undertaking with researchers from the University of Richmond. “See the Heat” took infrared readings of preexisting murals around the city, measuring the effects of paint color and wall location on murals’ absorption of heat. Using this data, researchers could provide recommendations on how to mitigate heat islands’ effects.

Pearl’s mural was designed to test the effects of heat-absorbing and solar-reflecting paints on the same data. She set up an infrared camera to measure its temperature and will be taking data for research until October.

See the mural for yourself at VCU’s Bowe Street parking garage, or enjoy the view from a nearby lot.
Woodfin
 
Events
Wednesday, Aug. 30
  • Office of Community Wealth Building Information Session | Wednesday, Aug. 30 | 2-4 p.m. | RPL East End Branch, 1200 N. 25th St., Richmond | Free | Get all the info you need for a job search at this library session.
  • “Three Colours: Red” | Wednesday, Aug. 30 | 7 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St., Richmond | $8 | This French mystery film is part of director Krzysztof Kieślowski’s trilogy.
Thursday, Aug. 31
  • VCU Women’s Soccer vs. Maryland | Thursday, Aug. 31 | 7-9 p.m. | Sports Backers Stadium, 100 Ave. of Champions, Richmond | $5-$10 | The Rams take on the Terrapins in this home game, which will also be streaming on ESPN+.
Friday, Sept. 1
  • Manchester Manifest First Fridays | Friday, Sept. 1, Friday, Oct. 6 | 5-11:59 p.m. | Hull Street, 11th-14th St.s, Richmond | Free entry | Head to Manchester for a monthly vendor fair and community celebration with local artisans, performers, and art.
Saturday, Sept. 2
  • Napoleon Dynamite Live | Saturday, Sept. 2 | 8 p.m. | The National, 708 E. Broad St., Richmond | $37+ | Reflect on the indie classic with actors Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, and Jon Gries.
Sunday, Sept. 3
  • The Art Of Noise | Sunday, Sept. 3 | 6 p.m. | Brown’s Island, Tredegar St., Richmond | $40-$50 | Jam out with an array of DJs on the island.
More events here
Click here to have your event featured.
News Notes
Sports
  • Tonight is Community Night with the Kickers. Head to City Stadium this evening for a wide array of local businesses along the concourse and a game against Central Valley Fuego kicking off at 7 p.m.
Edu
  • VUU’s freshman enrollment reached a seven-year high this fall. The HBCU in Richmond’s Northside, which has been offering classes since 1867, has an incoming class of 465 freshmen — a 34% increase over last year. (Richmond Free Press)
Drink
  • Mechanicsville coffee shop Rivers Edge Coffee Co. is expanding to a franchise model. The Hanover company formerly known as Little Bean Coffee Co. is opening two new locations in addition to its shop on Mechanicsville Turnpike. (Richmond BizSense)
Festival
  • Performers have been announced for PrideFest, set to return to Brown’s Island September 23-24. Pop singer Tinashe will headline Saturday’s lineup of free performances, sharing the stage with Cookiee Kawaii, Zee Machine, and several others. Tickets are still available for Tegan and Sara’s closing concert on Sunday.
Eat
  • Richmond ranked 30th in the country for rooftop dining, according to a recent survey. Want to check it out for yourself? Grab a drink at the New York Deli in Carytown, or head to the Quirk Hotel for more upscale rooftop fare. (RoofGnome)
Weather
  • Look up. Tonight’s full moon is not only the second one this month (aka a blue moon); it’s also the last supermoon we’ll see until 2032, appearing 8% bigger and 16% brighter than usual. Check local charts for the best time to view. Bonus: shop for telescopes. (NPR)
Family
Home
  • You’ve spent time (and money) making your home’s exterior and landscaping as beautiful and welcoming as the inside. But fall + winter’s short days and long nights mean more time for all that effort to be hidden in the dark. Here’s how to utilize outdoor lighting to both protect and beautify your home.*
Travel
Finance
  • Refinance rates are skyrocketing. But home equity rates remain relatively low — which means that now is a great time to borrow against your home. Calculate your payment.*
 
City

Fencing comes down on Monument Ave

Monument Avenue traffic circle reopens to public
RICtoday_MonumentFencing_RoadWork
Crews worked to remove the fencing and concrete barriers on Tuesday, Aug. 29. | Photo by RICtoday
The fencing around the Monument Avenue traffic circle that used to house a monument to Robert E. Lee has now come down.

After the monument was removed by the city in September 2021, the future of the traffic circle was somewhat uncertain. In October 2022, the Richmond Planning Commission approved temporary landscaping plans. In the months since, over 6,000 plants and 28 trees have been planted in the acre-ish plot that lies in the heart of the Fan.

The fencing around the area has stayed up this long mostly to protect the landscapers from traffic. Now that the work is “99% complete,” the fencing has been removed and the area is open to the public once more. YME Landscape, the Black-owned company that has handled the project, says all that remains — as of the fence’s removal — is to touch up the mulch.
Shop

Shop 8.30.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
Eat
  • Fall into the season of baking with Adams Apple Co biscuit mixes. You’ll have all the ingredients you’ll need to create a delicious apple-based treat.
Drink
  • Hosting a dinner party this fall? Treat your guests to one-of-a-kind laser-etched glasses from CEB Studio. Find your city’s design here.
Wellness
  • The best thing to scoop into your coffee (or tea, or smoothies) daily? Collagen that’s grass-fed, pasture-raised, and has 18 grams of protein per serving. Enter: NativePath’s Collagen Peptides.
Outdoors
  • Pro tip: Use a propane-powered fire pit for an easy, smokeless burn. This Amazon Basics gas fire pit makes a great home patio addition or camping buddy.
Home
  • The piece of furniture we’re drooling over: this Poly & Bark leather ottoman pouf in cognac brown. Hello, soft leather and beautiful living room.
Share RICtoday
 

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

{{profile.vars.rh_reflink_22}}
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_22}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.
Claim your rewards
 
 
The Wrap
 
David Lefkowitz.png

Today’s edition by:
David
From the editor
One of the coolest parts of Sirena Pearl’s mural is just how massive it is — 25 ft by 91 ft. I found the best view of it came from standing in the middle of the parking lots near the Lombardy Kroger, and I want to extend a warm thank you to everyone driving in that parking lot who refrained from hitting me as I took the picture that appears in today’s newsletter.
Missed our previous newsletter?     ›
Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback     ›
Subscribe     ›
Advertise     ›
Shop     ›
 
 

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2023 6AM City Inc, All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY