“Just because someone’s gone, doesn’t mean that you don’t have to talk to them,” says Laney Sullivan. | Photo by Fonticello Food Forest
Earlier this week, Fonticello Food Forest — a garden, park, and community space in Richmond’s Southside — unveiled its latest addition: a wind phone.
This photo may look familiar; We featured it earlier this week, but we wanted to know more. This time around, we spoke with co-founder Laney Sullivan for the whole story.
What is a wind phone?
The installation itself resembles a phone booth, but it’s placed in nature and features a disconnected phone line. The wind phone fosters a safe space for people to ‘call’ lost loved ones and process feelings of grief.
An idea breezes in
Just weeks after exhausting the last of a grant for Fonticello’s developing Memorial Garden, Sullivan came across an unexpected idea in her inbox.
The wind phone proposal came from an anonymous neighbor, someone who had recently lost a close family member. Sullivan looked into the concept, traced back the history, and said she was left weeping.
Richmond Jazz and Music Festival | Friday, Aug. 8 + Sunday, Aug. 10 | Times vary | Hippodrome Theatre + Maymont | $50+ | Festivities kick off tonight with a showcase at the Hippodrome, then Maymont takes over the weekend lineup, boasting popular artists like CeeLo Green, Masego, and Muni Long.
Saturday, Aug. 9
East End Street Fair | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Occasions Too | Free | Celebrate togetherness and community by shopping local vendors, chatting with new neighbors, and joining in on family-friendly fun.
National Spoil Your Dog Day | 12-5 p.m. | James River Cellars Winery, Glen Allen | Free | From dog-themed vendor booths carrying treats + accessories, to readily adoptable pups, this event ensures that your fur friend doesn’t feel left out during the busy festival weekend.
JamPacked: Craft Beer + Music Festival | 3-11 p.m. | Brown’s Island | $60+ | Lawn and VIP tickets are still available for this highly anticipated fest, drawing a lineup of musical artists including Lotus and Moon Taxi.
Sunday, Aug. 10
Carytown Watermelon Festival | 10 a.m. | Carytown | Free | Celebrate the 43rd year of this Richmond tradition — recognized as one of the largest one-day festivals in Virginia.
Supachill Ride | 6 p.m. | Väsen Brewing Company | Free | Starting and ending at Väsen Brewing Co., this group ride motivates you with two 50% drinks at Väsen + a mid-way stop at Strawberry Street Market for snacks.
Monday, Aug. 11
Chromatic Jazz | 6-9 p.m. | Chromophore Art Space | $35 | Trust that powerhouse vocalist Andrea Nicole and jazz band Control the Room will spark some energy into your week — tickets include wine and light hors d’oeuvres.
Awaiting formal approval, Dominion Energy plans to install 1,700+ solar panels at CarMax Park, the Flying Squirrel’s developing stadium. If plans come to fruition, the installation would become one of the largest in major and minor league baseball, generating enough maximum energy to power 250 homes.
Richmonders
Three locals celebrated 100th birthdays at Barrington at Hioaks — Viola Muller, Joseph Leiski, and Celeste Wood. Heed their advice for a long life, and pay dutiful homage to Leiski’s childhood work ethic, which may or may not have involved bootlegging as a five-year-old in Church Hill. (CBS 6)
Drink
Lift Coffee on West Broad just launched a new roster of drink specials. We’ve got our eyes on the Pistachio Dreams Latte, Teddy Bear Latte, and Strawberry Cheesecake Matcha. It sounds like we might need to make a new addition to our matcha guide.
Event
Will you be heading to the Oddities and Curiosities Expo this Saturday, Aug. 9 + Sunday, Aug. 10? Rest in Pieces, a literal “oddities shop” in Oregon Hill, prepared a showcase of new items for the expo, from framed critters to a taxidermied bison head.
Today Is
International Cat Day.Longing for a new furry friend? Richmond SPCA will have adoptable kittens at the Carytown Watermelon Festival this Sunday, Aug. 10. Cuddled up at the Custom Ink booth, you can also stop by to help make DIY toys for the kitties back at the shelter.
Job
Are you the one we’re looking for? We’re on the hunt for a sales-driven leader to help us land significant brand partnerships at a national scale as a Sales Executive. From a competitive benefits package to 401k matching, we’re a pretty amazing company to work for. Join our team and apply today.
Home
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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.
Which uniquely named team won last week’s trivia night at Väsen Brewing Company?
So far, only five folks have correctly guessed the winning team, so we’re going to give you another chance. This time, we narrowed down the options for you. A. Mythic Qualifiers B. Bad Girls on the Corner of Happy and Healthy C. I Have Bad Genes D. Drunk Old Frts
First: I was smitten with the stories of the three locals turning 100. My grandma lived to be 102, and whenever we asked for her secret to a long life, she said, “always put extra sugar in your tea.” A local newspaper even wrote this feature to celebrate her birthday and share her stories.
Second: I can’t let International Cat Day go by without a shoutout to my work-from-home bestie. Kodak’s great for office morale, but he’s been known to sleep on the job.
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