Mosaic chefs took this opportunity as a culinary + art challenge, and we’re in total awe. (Heirloom Pie and Heirloom Pesto Toast are shown above.) | Photos by Mosaic Restaurant
Starting tomorrow, July 17, Duke’s Hot Tomato Summer returns to Richmond (+ six other cities). The ten-day fest continues through Sunday, July 27.
How it works
Now in its fifth year, the Duke’s Mayo event invites local restaurants to get creative with tomato and mayonnaise-themed specials. The public then votes to help determine the winner of the coveted Golden Tomato Award. See last year’s winners.
Must-try Richmond specials:
There are 100+ restaurants participating in the River City, but we’ve narrowed down a few unique specials we’re eyeing:
Coco + Hazel (last year’s Golden Tomato winner) Duke’s Curd + Cloud: a basil lime curd tart in a Duke’s Mayo scratch-made crust, topped with cloud-like tomato meringue
Mosaic Heirloom Pesto Toast: heirloom tomato, Duke’s Mayo basil pesto, feta, bacon crumble, and balsamic drizzle
The Continental Manchester Smoke Stack: house-smoked brisket, smoked gouda, tomato jam, guajillo Duke’s Mayoli, and an onion ring — served on a La Bella Vita bun
Creek Crawl | 2-3 p.m. | Pocahontas State Park, Chesterfield | $7+, price of park admission | Get your daily nature fix and explore the little universes that thrive in a babbling creek.
CD Leganés vs. Richmond Kickers | 7:30 p.m. | City Stadium | $23 | Head to the stands for International Friendly Night + the last home game until August.
Thursday, July 17
Master Gardener Help Desk | 10:30-11:30 a.m. | Westover Hills Library | Free | Ask a master gardener all your pressing plant questions, and grab soil sample kits while you’re there.
Shalom Farms Mobile Market | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Broad Rock Library | Price of purchase | Stop by the parking lot for fresh, local fruits and vegetables.
Summer Spell Jars | 6:30-8 p.m. | Quarry | $15+ | Bring seashells from your favorite beach, petals from your family garden, ribbons, stones, soil, or sparkling dust, and manifest a magnificent summer.
Friday, July 18
Y2K: A Throwback Dance Party | 8 p.m.-1 a.m. | Uptown Alley | $13+ | Call up your besties, dust off your tracksuit, and party like you just found out that the world didn’t end in the 21st century.
“The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” | Friday, July 18-Sunday, July 20 | Times vary | SPARC | $10+ | Fans of mythology, musicals, and early 2000s young-adult novels should grab a seat for this production.
Your ticket includes access to “Ultimate Dinosaurs,” a touring exhibition with fully mounted skeletons, fossils, and more. | Photo provided by the Science Museum of Virginia
Get ready for a roaring good time at the Science Museum of Virginia.
Science on Tap: Dino Night is happening on Thursday, July 24, and it’s going to be a blast from the past for the 21+ crowd.
Set against the Science Museum’s newest exhibition, “Ultimate Dinosaurs,” this after-hours event is your chance to:
Snap a photo with a Jurassic Park Jeep
Sip on local craft brews
Dig into food truck favorites like Gelati Celesti, Parallel Stix, and River City Wood Fire Pizza
Come face-to-face with live animals from the Wildlife Center of Virginia
Take a cosmic trip through the age of dinosaurs in The Dome
Pro tip: Costumes are encouraged. Channel your favorite dino or paleontologist (think: Alan Grant or Claire Dearing) and prepare to dig up some fun.
Psst... Tickets come with 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., or 7 p.m. start times, so plan ahead and grab yours before they go extinct.
Flash flooding has impacted several south-central areas in Virginia, including Colonial Heights and Petersburg. We’ll keep an eye out for incoming recovery aid resources. In the meantime, remember these tips (located in the caption) on how to stay safe during heavy rain + flash flooding. (CBS 6)
Development
As of last week, initial design concepts for the Arthur Ashe Bridge replacement project have been approved, pending the establishment of a subcommittee to review final designs. What’s on the road ahead? Two lanes of traffic, accompanying pedestrian + bike paths, benches, planters, and canopied shade. (Richmond BizSense)
Announced
The Chuck Brown Band will headline Richmond’s 2nd Street Festival, returning the weekend of Oct. 4. This free festival, considered one of the largest street celebrations in the Mid-Atlantic, will celebrate its 37th anniversary in historic Jackson Ward. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Trending
Richmond Public Library has a new employee, and you may recognize the familiar face. Labubus, furry plush dolls commonly used as bag charms, have taken the world by storm as the latest trend in accessorizing. Our local library Labubu reps a RPL shirt and staff badge to prove credentials. (NPR)
Drink
How much does beer cost at Allianz Amphitheater, our new riverfront venue? According to recent concert prices, domestic and craft beers ranged from $16 to $21 per can. Seltzers hit the brim at $23. Busch Light fans earned the cheapest option, at $5 per can. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
City
From missed trash pickups to streetlight requests, RVA 311’s online platform has the non-emergency support you need. Read: You can skip a phone call and get help quicker. Save this site for later.*
Try This
Your next big event could use some attention. Get a crowd in the room by letting us help you spread the word. Our self-service ad portal can put you event in front of our highly engaged local audience in a matter of two days. Get started now.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Yesterday, we asked our readers which Richmond restaurants are boasting the sentimental revival of postcards. Reader Anne-Stuart T. says “Birdie’s and Stella’s,” andI can personally attest to one.
During my last visit to Birdie’s Bar + Café(photo proof below), the server handed me a postcard after dinner. If I wanted to fill it out, they would mail it for me. I scribbled a spontaneous message to my sister in Los Angeles.
Birdie’s mailed it out as promised, and the next time I visited my sister, the postcard was decorating her fridge.
Know another postcard-repping restaurant in Richmond? Let us know.
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