It's easy enough for Richmonders to miss the mark when it comes to describing or experiencing our city, so you might well imagine the potential wince factor that comes with a blow-through visit by a travel writer. Even one from the creme de la creme of travel coverage, the New York Times.
Count me impressed by NYTimes' Justin Bergman's 36 hour tour of Richmond (now online!) -- beginning with the eye-catching lead photo of Gallery 5; owner Amanda Robinson and her almost-year-old baby stand in the foreground of a tableau that screams New Orleans (without the crowds), and yet is distinctly Richmond.
He begins where many of us began, and notes that some have moved on from Carytown's eclectic streets: "The tattooed artsy crowd may have moved on, but serious shoppers and people watchers are still drawn to Carytown’s half-mile stretch of boutiques, vintage clothing stores and cafes," Bergman notes. His three highlights of Carytown -- Need Supply, Bygones and Chop Suey Books -- capture, in my mind, the best elements of the street.
I can't weigh in on the late night Friday scene in Richmond; my still-relatively new daughter ensures that Friday nights are tepid affairs. But you could find worse places to eat and drink than Mezzanine and Bank.
Gallery 5 and Quirk Gallery are in Bergman's sights for a mid-morning adventure along the Broad Street/Jackson Ward corridor, and he manages to land at one of the more seminal eating spots for an early lunch/late brunch -- the storied Kuba Kuba, which he aptly describes as "a hole-in-the-wall cafe" with great food.
The rest of the day is spent near the river. Bergman visits the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar (a must-see but little seen stop by natives) and goes tree climbing on zip lines along the south bank of the James River. Dinner at LuLu's and a night cap with the kids at the Camel on West Broad Street near VCU.
Topping the experience is another of Richmond's amazing dining spots -- the Black Sheep -- a breezy walk through the Manchester arts district, and a beer at Legend's.
Nice job, Richmond. You sound interesting enough for a weekend visit.
