November/December 2015 Rivery City

JACKSON WARD VIGNETTES

THEN & NOW

RAISING THE BAR

MAGGIE WALKER & RICHMOND WOMEN

SPARKLING COCKTAILS

RiverCity p. 06

p. 21

p. 14

OR IC F US ITY GM RC KIN IVE MA E R TH

TasteBudz Happy Hour Guide

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CONTENTS

RiverCity

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

RICHMOND THEN & NOW Maggie Walker + Professional Women’s Groups

RichmondNavigator.com PRESIDENT // PUBLISHER

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Jared Davis, Beverly Montsinger, Jenny Price DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Jimmy Davis PHOTOGRAPHERS

Robert Thomas CONTRIBUTORS

Davy Jones ADVERTISING

In This Issue 06

NEIGHBORHOODS Jackson Ward

12

TASTEBUDZ

14

Taste the Difference

Sparkling Cocktails

10

BACKSTAGE

Two Favorite Richmond Musicians

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RAISING THE BAR

18

HAPPY HOURS

About Our Cover: The cover of Susan Greenbaum’s This Life album, recorded in Nashville with top industry session musicians. Available now on CD and digitally.

Used with permission of Susan Greenbaum.

CORRECTION: In our September/October article on Church Hill in River City, we inadvertently referred to John Murden, publisher of Church Hill People's News, as John Wurden. Sincerest apologies, Mr. Murden!

All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

All articles and contents of this magazine are not necessarily the opinions or thoughts of RiverCity magazine, Advertising Concepts, Inc or the publisher.

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COTUBrewing.com

Center of the Universe Brewing Turns And You’re Invited to Celebrate

J

UST A FEW MILES UP I-95, Center of the Universe

Brewing, one of Richmond’s new breed of craft breweries, is celebrating three years of local beer with three days to party – Nov. 13-15, Center of the Universe Brewing presents special release beers, food trucks all weekend long, and live music, both inside the taproom and outside in a 2,700-squarefoot heated tent.

“Three years ago …, we opened with a dream, hard work, and some choice beers,” says the COTU event announcement. Since then, the brewery has grown in production, distribution and tasting facilities, adding a patio biergarten and taps. They’ve provided ongoing and special events for area residents and visitors.

They’ve brewed popular beers such as El Duderino, the charitably focused Homefront IPA and Scotchtown as well as flagships such as Pocahoptas, Ray Ray’s pale ale, Main Street Virginia ale and the Flying Squirrels/The Diamond signature beer, Chin Music.

3

The party kicks off on Friday, 4 to 9 p.m., with the return of The Richard Imperial IPA, a 9% ABV beer with a sweet malt base and four different hops presenting notes of citrus, pine and floral goodness. Music comes from The Tender, who are reuniting for the occasion.

On Saturday, 1 to 9 p.m., guest beer comes from COTU’s Homefront IPA partners, including rare beers from great breweries around the country, served in the heated tent. Music comes from sultry Vexine and the rocking classics of The Royal We. In addition to regular beer service, the party on Sunday, 1 to 6 p.m., includes two seatings (2 and 4 p.m.) of a cookie, cheese and beer pairing – COTU beers paired with cookies from Sugar Fix Cookies and select cheeses from The Caboose. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are available at the brewery. Eli Cook will provide blues music in the taproom.

“Come sing happy birthday with us,” COTU proclaims. “We wouldn’t be here without all of you amazing folks!”

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6 RiverCity

FEATURE

FEEL THE VIBE IN JACKSON WARD VIGNETTES OF THE PAST & PRESENT

O

By Steve Cook

h, how I wish I could step back in time to the early 20th century and visit the Jackson Ward of that era. If time travel were possible, I’d jump out of my machine and head straight for one of the most exciting, lively neighborhoods in the city. In fact, at the time, there was probably no African-American community anywhere in the nation that was as vibrant as this neighborhood that sits on the northern edge of downtown Richmond and runs, roughly, about 12 blocks from Belvidere to Fourth Street and, since the creation of the Richmond Petersburg Turnpike (Interstate 95), between the Interstate and Broad Street.

I can almost hear the sounds of jazz emanating from the doors along The Deuce. That’s what folks called Second Street back in the day. Foremost among the music venues stood the Hippodrome Theater, where one might be enjoying the music of Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Lena Horne or Louis Armstrong, as well as other entertainers who played what has been called the Chitlin Circuit.

If I arrived early enough (before World War I), I may have even had a chance to catch the act of one very talented young Jackson Ward resident who briefly put his career in musical comedy on hold to serve as a rifleman in Europe during the war. Luther Robinson had been born in the neighborhood in 1878. By the age of 5, he was dancing for a living in local beer gardens. He later performed on Broadway as well as in 14 motion pictures.

Having earlier in life forced his brother Bill to switch names with him, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson is best known to many of us as Shirley Temple’s dance partner in several of her movies. Today, his statue stands on Leigh Street at Brook Road.

In 1944, Second Street was still a lively spot, but, said Robert Charles, who started working at Moizelles Cleaners at 410 N. First St. in that year, “I was just 15 and I was too young to be on Second Street.

My sister was 17 years older than I and she made sure I didn’t get in any trouble. By the time I got old enough to go, I had my own family and didn’t have time.”

Charles has worked in the same place for the past 71 years. He became the manager in 1961 and bought the business in 1968. When he first started working there, he would walk to First Street from his home on the western end of Church Hill. “You’d hardly ever see a car in Jackson Ward in those days,” he recalled. “Most folks took the streetcar.”

Charles has watched Jackson Ward evolve. “It was a blue-collar neighborhood,” he said. “Most folks rented their homes and didn’t have a washer or dryer. Everyone would bring their clothes to the laundry.”

Today, he observed, very few patronize the neighborhood laundry.

“The only way I can stay is business is that I own my building and don’t pay any rent.” He said he would love to see more families return to Jackson Ward.

When asked what changes she hopes to see in Jackson Ward, Mahasin Shakoor, who along with her husband Dawud, operates Shakoor’s Merchandise at 319 N. Second St., said she would like to see more African-American businesses come back to Second Street because this is the legacy of Second Street. Shakoor, an African American herself, said, “I think African Americans would be more credible if they had more businesses.”

While she laments the anticipated closing of neighborhood projects for renovations, saying, “Seldom do the people come back,” Shakoor takes pride in the knowledge that the neighborhood is a safer place to be since she and her husband opened their Jackson Ward general store in 2002.

“My husband helped clean the neighborhood up,” she said. “In those days, there were a lot more seedy transactions taking place in the street. My husband would sit outside all day and move those people along, saying, ‘You can’t do that here. We’re trying to run a business.’”

Shakoor said that eventually word got around that you couldn’t hang around the yellow building on Second Street. “Soon other businesses started moving in and we all worked together,” she said. “It’s become more safe, which means more people shop here. Today, people come from all over the city.”

“It’s been amazing to watch this neighborhood grow,” said Jay Bayer, co-owner of Saison restaurant at 23 W. Marshall St.

RichmondNavigator.com 7

...

Bayer said that when he and business partner Adam Hall first saw the space, they agreed it was the perfect spot. “We loved the potential in Jackson Ward and the [adjacent] Arts District,” he said.

When Saison opened in December of 2012, the only other restaurants in the neighborhood were Comfort and Mama J’s. “So many neighbors have moved in,” said Bayer. That includes a number of the city’s finer new restaurants (see “Dining In Jackson Ward” sidebar).

But Bayer is not referring just to the dining scene. He speaks of a creative vibrancy that’s felt throughout the neighborhood. Regarding his own place, which he described as a “modern new American restaurant with an equal focus on beverage and cuisine, Bayer said, “We aim to be at the leading edge like the creative folks in the neighborhood.

We try to stay aware of trends going on … to stay ahead of the curve.”

Jackson Ward, Bayer said, is unlike any other Richmond community. “It’s a mix of businesses in a residential neighborhood. It feels like a bigger city … more like Brooklyn or San Francisco’s Mission District.”

Jay Bayer’s comment about the direction of his restaurant sums up nicely the feel I got after visiting Jackson Ward and speaking with the folks who live, work and play there. Bayer said, “We’re trying to create something that looks forward and looks backward at the same time.”

Jackson Ward does that. As far as looking backwards, we would be remiss if we failed to mention one of its and the city’s most fascinating residents.

It was here that Maggie Lena Walker, a Richmond-born humanitarian, educator and businesswoman, chartered the St. Luke’s Penny Savings Bank, becoming the first African-American woman to serve as president of a bank. Though she was born in Church Hill, Walker’s home at 10½ Leigh St. in the heart of Jackson Ward continues to welcome guests. Today, it is owned and operated as a museum by the National Park Service. (See this month’s River City article on Maggie Walker to learn more about this amazing woman.)

Looking forward, one can only expect to see Jackson Ward continue to develop as one of the most vibrant, exciting neighborhoods in the city. In 1915, the Ward was well on its way towards that claim to fame. Today, it’s on a similar path.

Several of those with whom we spoke had recommendations for changes they would like to see.

Mahasin Shakoor’s dream of more African Americans having their own businesses would seem totally appropriate and fitting. Robert Charles would welcome more families, along with restaurants and attractions that cater to families.

Perhaps in a nod to Jackson Ward’s roots as primarily a residential neighborhood, Jay Bayer suggested the desirability of such things as a bowling alley or indoor miniature golf – “some place you don’t have to be eating and drinking.” This, said Bayer, would “unite the background of everyone in the neighborhood.”

While I may have some regrets that a time machine is not in my garage, I am excited to get to know the Jackson Ward of today. I’ve only scratched the surface. Now, it’s your turn to go and discover this unique Richmond neighborhood.

DINING IN JACKSON WARD – JUST A FEW OF OUR FAVORITES

Big Herm’s Kitchen – 315 N. 2nd St.; 804-643-0202. Real downhome soul food. You gotta try the wings as well as the mac ’n’ cheese.

Comfort – 200 W. Broad St.; 804-780-0004. One of Jackson’s

Ward earliest “new” restaurants. Southern comfort food at its best.

GWAR Bar – 217 W. Clay St.; 804-918-9352. The band may be an acquired taste. The food’s for everyone.

J KOGI – 325 N. 2nd St.: 804-225-8734. Best Seoul food in Jackson Ward.

Lucy’s – 404 N. 2nd St.; 804-562-1444. The meats come from the family farm. Check out the beef bacon.

Mama J’s Kitchen – 415 N. 1st St.; 804-225-7449. Best catfish in town, but be prepared to wait.

Max’s on Broad – 305 Brook Rd.; 804-225-0400. Belgian dining just off Broad, from the same folks who run Tarrant’s.

Ray’s Dog House – 401 N. 1st St.; 804-644-3848. When he’s not serving up the best dogs in town, Ray is catering to the “stars” on Capitol Hill in D.C.

The Rogue Gentleman – 618 N. 1st St.; 804-477-3456.

Saison – 23 W. Marshall St.; 804-269-3689. Great gastropub experience.

The Speakeasy Grill – 526 N. 2nd St.; 804-308-2913. Formerly

Mansion 526, adjacent to the renovated Hippodrome. If the Hipp is open, check out the Projection Room bar.

RC

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

8 RiverCity MacBook Pro

HARVEST GROCERY & SUPPLY

– YOU CAN TASTE THE DIFFERENCE

By Steve Cook

R

ichmond is, indeed, a food town. But to truly get the most from our culinary experience, whether we’re dining in our favorite local restaurant or in our own kitchens, it all has to start with the quality of the food.

That realization motivated Richmond native Hunter Hopcroft to leave a career in finance and open Harvest Grocery & Supply, located at 1531 W. Main St.

“A trip out west exposed me to a few independent food markets,” Hopcroft explained. “I knew that if Richmond wanted to be taken seriously as a food destination, retail outlets for chefs’ quality ingredients would be absolutely necessary.

Let’s start with the meats. Through a growing partnership with local butchers, Stock Provisions, Hopcroft offers shoppers a variety of meats that come exclusively from small, local farmers who raise their animals outside on pasture. “Our beef is grass-fed and grass-finished in accordance with the animals’ biology,” he said.

Here’s something else you’ll rarely find, even in the finer butcher shops: Stock Provisions buys the whole animal from the farmers and produces everything in-house.

“For example,” Hopcroft explained, “a package of ground beef in a traditional grocery store can contain the meat from up to 50 cows. Ours all comes from a single steer. “ Local is definitely important to the folks at Harvest Grocery. “The difference in quality,” he said, “is clear once you begin eating things grown nearby, in season, and produced using traditional agricultural practices.

“I always like to talk about the life-changing magic of pasture-raised eggs. To me, they are the gateway drug to eating more local foods. They are so clearly head-andshoulders above commodity eggs – once people try them, they start to wonder what else they are missing out on.”

Harvest Grocery also offers 25 types of what Hopcroft describes as the “world’s best cheeses.” Continuing, he said, “Our cheesemonger is crazy passionate and will guide you to something great and can help you pick out the perfect wine to take home with it.”

All this sounds wonderful, but aren’t such delicacies a bit pricier? Hunter Hopcroft addresses that concern. “Something to keep in mind,” he said, “besides the clear difference in quality and flavor, is that 100 percent of the money you spend on local foods stays in your community.”

Learn more at HarvestRVA.com

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10 RiverCity

FEATURE

MAKING MUSIC FOR THE RIVER CITY:

TWO RICHMOND FAVORITES

SUSAN GREENBAUM & LINDY FRALIN

By Davy Jones

DAVY JONES

RichmondNavigator.com 11

That two-way street is especially busy for acoustic singer-songwriter Susan Greenbaum.

“It’s always something I had wanted to do,” Greenbaum said. “I just didn’t know you could do that – I didn’t know you could do what you wanted with your life.”

Music wasn’t her first line of work – she found early success as a corporate executive – but her brother’s death from brain cancer brought on an urgent sense of clarity: There’s just not enough time to spend your days doing something you don’t love.

“When I got back from his funeral,” Greenbaum explained, “I [thought], this is just ridiculous. This is not how I want to spend my time. I felt really fortunate to know what I wanted to do and have some ability in it. If I’d wanted to be an NBA player, that would have been a problem.”

It was 1998 when Greenbaum told her family she was quitting her job to play music, and she started performing at places like Starbucks and Borders. Audiences responded right away.

“I was really, really lucky,” she said. “People liked what I was doing, and it’s been kind of astonishing to me, actually, how I’m still doing this and I’m making a living at it. This is my job. It’s amazing. I still can’t believe it.”

What’s even more impressive is how Greenbaum has managed to maintain relationships with early listeners.

“We have these two fans who have been coming to almost every show we’ve done for probably 12 or 13 years, if not longer – a really long time. They’re awesome. We met them when we played for a private party … They’re wonderful, and now we’re friends.”

In fact, she has a knack for remembering names, and for a time, she could name each of her fans. “Even when the number was growing, I knew everybody … Then I couldn’t anymore, which is both good and bad.”

And her fan base is still growing, to the astonishment of Greenbaum’s parents.

“I reported to Mom and Dad about how many CDs we sold at one gig – this was a couple years ago. Mom goes, ‘Doesn’t everyone have them all already?’”

Despite her success, which includes songwriting awards, recording in Nashville with some of the industry’s finest session musicians, and performances with the likes of Sara Bareilles, Jason Mraz and the Richmond Symphony, she’s still humbled by the response she gets when she sets foot onstage.

“I feel like the time has passed in the blink of an eye, no question about that,” Greenbaum remarked. “And I do feel like I’ve worked really hard, and I don’t feel very far removed at all from the early gigs at Starbucks. When people show up at my gigs, I’m just blown away. I’m so excited about it … It’s a great feeling when anyone shows up to listen and doesn’t throw tomatoes at you.”

Lindy Fralin’s record of performing in Richmond goes back even further – to the late 1970’s – and his following has developed along two distinct but closely related paths.

Fralin is the longest-tenured member of the Bop Cats, a rockabilly outfit that plays upwards of 20 area shows a year. While Fralin points out, “It’s never really been a full time band,” the Bop Cats did get to experience life as touring musicians.

“There was a very short time when we tried to make a living doing it, and I was the one booking and managing us … To play a Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, you almost always had to be on the road,” Fralin said. “You couldn’t do that in your own hometown.

There was a circuit way back then, when the drinking age was 18 … If you were willing to travel, you could play five nights of the week.”

It was a different time, both for a Virginia that hadn’t yet raised the drinking age to 21 and for Fralin, who remembers those days

with disbelief.

“Back then, [we had] shots of tequila every night, every set,” he said.

“I don’t know how we did it and never got in trouble … You just got adrenaline from playing music.”

That energy runs rampant on 25 Years of Rock n’ Roll, an album released in 2012 on EllerSoul Records that breathed new life into recordings the group originally made to promote their live act.

Ironically, while the Bop Cats ended up getting jobs and performing for fun, Fralin’s shows now double as a proving ground for his main gig: making some of the world’s finest aftermarket guitar pickups. These crucial components turn strings’ vibration into an electrical signal that can be amplified – there are usually two or three underneath where the guitarist strums – and the innovative craftsmanship of Lindy Fralin Pickups has been lauded far and wide, including industry publications like Guitar Player. His customers range from amateurs with an especially exacting ear to touring musicians who are looking for a specific sound, and, by performing, Fralin can put himself in their shoes.

DAVY JONES

N

ow more than ever, with revenue growing more and more elusive, music is a labor of love. But for the lucky few musicians who have earned a longtime following in the Richmond community – whether they’ve made performing a successful career or a steadfast avocation – that love isn’t just given, it’s returned in droves.

“Every guitar I take to shows is kind of an extension of this business,” Fralin said, “because I almost always put new pickups in and go hear them live.”

This arrangement – a professional in his workshop on West Laburnum Avenue, a part-timer onstage – frees Fralin up to enjoy a level of spontaneity few performers experience.

“I still love to play live,” he shared. “I love all the musicians we play with. We might have a different drummer one week or a different bass player. The main three of us play most of the jobs, and then we have three or four keyboard players and a second guitarist or two we can ask to sit in if the money’s good.”

That flexibility extends to the songs themselves. “The guy keyboard player we play with most often is Danny Beirne from Skip Castro, and he knows a thousand songs. So there’s never a night when he doesn’t just start playing something and he’ll tell you ‘[key of] G’ and you just have to learn it. And it’s really fun – I like that.”

Speaking with Fralin, you get the sense that he has just as much fun making pickups.

“It’s a real joy,” he said. “I don’t mind coming to work because I get to be creative. I’ve painted houses, and worked on cars – done some really hard work – so I’m so thankful I do this instead of that really hard work.”

Guitarists all over the world are thankful, too, just as music fans all over this city are thankful that these two performers continue to pursue their passions. RC

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

TasteBudz with

12 RiverCity

FLAVOR

Steve Cook

So much going on around town, one man can’t cover it all. That’s one of the reasons I’ve asked one of our favorite TasteBudz online “budz” to help me out. Meredith Dauksz knows the city’s dining scene probably better than I.

WHAT’S NEW ON THE DEUCE

Whenever I learn something, I love to show off my newfound knowledge. In working on our article about Jackson Ward (page 6), I discovered that 2nd Street, which was one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods back about 80 or 90 years ago, was once known as “The Deuce.”

So, from now on, I’m going to call it that and sound pretty cool in the process.

Anyway, there’s a new restaurant headed for The Deuce. I spoke with Richie Sargent recently, and he gave me the inside scoop. Richie will be the GM for Jackson’s Beer Garden. And from what he tells me, this is going to be a great hangout.

The restaurant, to be located at the corner of 2nd and Leigh streets (technically 119 E. Leigh) in the old Croaker Spot location, should be open in late November or early December.

“Fast and affordable” is how Richie describes the place.

But wait, there’s more! Although he’s currently putting the menu together, Richie said he’s striving for a farm-to-table impact. “We’re trying to keep the food as local as possible.” And that includes many local beers from about 12 to 20 taps and in about 50 bottles and cans.

The décor will include exposed brick, dark wood and a large open kitchen. There will also be an outdoor area (the beer garden) and lots of entertainment, including live music and karaoke.

As soon as it opens, I’ll let you know, and what say we all head for The Deuce!

DAUKSZ-SIDE, PART I I had the privilege to catch up with Meredith and her boyfriend, Brian Riley, a few weeks ago when one of the city’s coolest new venues had just opened. I’m talking about the Quirk Hotel, located at 201 W. Broad. We had the opportunity to check out the new restaurant, Maple & Pine, situated within the vast, open spaces of the hotel’s lobby. Here’s Meredith’s take on the place.

As I entered this majestic yet tastefully understated space, I felt transported to a bigger, grander city and still somehow felt very much at home in Richmond.

Maple & Pine offers several dining scenes. The dining room abstractly weaves through the center of the hotel. The bar allows you to enjoy delicious cocktails while checking out the bustling open kitchen, where chefs David Dunlap and Kyle Cox intricately plate beautiful canvases of food. I had a delicious sparkling wine cocktail, the Ms. Crenshaw. For research purposes alone, I had to move on to another drink. Without trying to be “those people,” we ended up altering our drinks: my Annabelle Lee with a few less sweet notes, Brian’s refreshing East End straight up rather than on the rocks, Steve’s River View with mezcal rather than tequila, to give it a little smoke.

Tori Hance, our adorable and accommodating server, was more than happy to have the bartender craft the cocktails perfectly for us without batting a lash.

We started with the smoked pork pâté – each fried pickle, barbecue Dijonnaise dollop and crostini perfectly placed. Then we moved on to the braised oxtail eggroll made with phyllo dough and accented with delicious shitake mushrooms.

I found my new Richmond craving.

TasteBudz

RichmondNavigator.com 13

with

FLAVOR

Steve Cook

RUMOR MILL

No, that’s not the name of a new farm-to-table restaurant heading to town. It’s just my way of saying, “Hey, someone has let me in on a little secret!”

But since I’m a blabbermouth, here goes. I can’t say anything right yet, but I have it on good authority that one local, very popular Asian-restaurant operator is looking to put a rooftop patio bar on an in-town apartment complex. Where? When? Who? Stay tuned.

DAUKSZ-SIDE, PART II Meredith said that we need to give the aforementioned Brian Riley a little credit for helping write this one.

Indeed, the best part of living in RVA is that one day, when you’re walking down that same street you always have, suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a new restaurant is opening its doors, and preparing their menus for food lovers like us. Such is the case for Castanea, newly implanted in Shockoe Bottom at Main between 17th and 18th streets. The place is a classic yet inventive take on Spanish Mediterranean.

Don’t be discouraged or apprehensive when you first step inside – that’s just the ‘gelato counter’ – but we’ll get to that later.

We sat at the bar and were greeted by Jolby, a great conversationalist who knows his wine.

I was graciously persuaded into a glass of Cannonau, the wine that makes you live 100 years. Our hanger steak was cooked perfectly with a cool red center, alongside delicious local mushrooms. The next course was Pasta Diablo, a squid-ink, house-made pasta with butter-poached lobster and fresh, generous amounts of spicy peppers. Amazing? Yes! For the last course, we went with the housemade gelato, a hazelnut, salted pistachio, double chocolate … Dreamsicle? Unfortunately for my waistline, I got hooked on the Dreamsicle gelato that night. For better or worse, Castenea is within walking distance of my house and I am keeping the Dreamsicle alive.

The best part is that finally I can fulfill my Champagne-taste-and-beer-budget way of life.

This place is delicious, decadent and doesn’t break the bank. I can have my cake and eat it too! But I prefer the Dreamsicle gelato.

Speaking of delicious eats and decadent sweets – just down the street, the former Globe Hopper is now Whisk (2100 E. Main St.). There is something so sweet about sitting in the window of a retro-chic coffee shop dipping a raspberry almond macaroon in espresso.

Look for more from Meredith in our weekly TasteBudz online column at RichmondNavigator.com. And if you have any food news, or just want to tell us about your recent restaurant discovery, drop us a line at TasteBudz@RichmondNavigator.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

Champagne Mojito, Pearl Raw Bar

14 RiverCity

RichmondNavigator.com 15

FLAVOR

Put Some Sparkle in Your Cocktails

by Steve Cook

ROBERT THOMAS

THE POPULARITY OF SPARKLING COCKTAILS IS BUBBLING OVER THESE DAYS. True, sales of Champagne are rising, but the primary reason that sparkling cocktails are so popular has more to do with the current thirst for Prosecco. Several of the local bartenders with whom we spoke told us that increasing numbers of their customers are asking for this sweeter and less expensive Italian cousin of Champagne.

While sparkling wines, such as Champagne and Prosecco, have long been popular, many mixologists today are choosing to step it up a notch by combining their wine with other spirits. With this in mind, and considering that we are entering “Champagne season,” so to speak, we decided to begin our own search for some of the city’s best sparkling cocktails.

JULEP’S 420 E. Grace St. Juleps.net

I’d been wanting to check out the new Julep’s, which opened its doors on Grace Street this past summer. Owner Amy Ayers says the reception has been great. And no wonder. Not only did Julep’s bring along its reputation as one of the city’s finest dining spots, but Amy brought an all-star team to Grace Street with John Van Peppen as general manager and Matthew Tlusty now heading up the kitchen. Those two men worked together when John was operating Arcadia in the Bottom and Matthew was the chef.

Amy says that the most exciting thing about Julep’s move is that it gives her an opportunity to be part of the newly revitalized Grace Street corridor.

Ty Cataneo continues as bar manager, but now, he says, he gets to run a real bar. “With only five seats, the bar [at the previous location] was really just a waiting area,” he said.

Ty prepared two sparkling cocktails, and who is going to argue with that? The first, Champagne Julep, seemed to be a natural fit. After all, this is Julep’s Restaurant. Ty said he got the recipe, which includes

muddled mint, a little apple brandy, simple syrup and Champagne, from C.F. Lawler’s The Mixicologist, which was first published in 1884.

The second drink, said Ty, has a “kinda fun” story behind its creation. “One night we had a guest who wanted a sparkling drink but didn’t see anything on our menu that she was head over heels for. She asked me for a sparkling drink with bourbon.”

Ty proceeded to create a drink using one of his favorite bourbons, Eagle Rare. He mixed it with some lemon simple syrup that he’d been playing around with, along with freshly squeezed orange juice and Champagne, with an orange twist.

“The woman’s name was Sarah,” he said, “so we named the drink ‘The Sarah.’” Look for it on Julep’s cocktail menu.

For our appetizer, Matthew served up Julep’s world-famous fried green tomatoes, prepared with house-made pimento cheese and peppadew aioli. “We’re trying to convey the image that Champagne is not just for celebrations anymore,” he said. “Prosecco has helped to make that change.”

We don’t have to tell you how fantastic Julep’s fried green tomatoes are. They’re one of the most popular items on their menu. And, paired with either sparkling drink, they made for a delightful treat.

FLAVOR

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OLD ORIGINAL

BOOKBINDER'S

PEARL RAW BAR 2229 W. Main St. PearlRVA.com Pearl has long been one of my favorite fun bars. With fresh oysters and other raw bar delicacies along with a lively bar atmosphere and a great happy hour, it’s a cool place to spend a little quality time. Bar manager Brad Gallier helps to create that fun feel to the place. The whole staff seems to be tuned in to Brad’s laid-back personality. That became evident when it came time to name his concoction, but more about that in a minute.

First, a little about the drink itself. Brad tells me that when you’re serving shellfish, sparkling drinks are always in season.

He decided to create a Champagne Mojito, featuring Champagne and white rum. Brad included elderflower liqueur as a third ingredient. However, he tried a second version of the same drink, replacing the elderflower with a lavender simple syrup. We all agreed that the lavender version was better, although both drinks were truly delicious and refreshing. The lavender version, I thought, paired perfectly with chef Mike Ledesma’s Firecracker Shrimp, which is a new addition to a recently revised menu.

The shrimp are prepared with Sriracha and honey and then lightly fried with cornstarch. The cornstarch gives it crispiness but without that thick, dense battered feel. The shrimp are then served on top of Mike’s homemade kimchi. While, obviously, the shrimp are excellent, I think the kimchi is the star of the plate. And it all just goes so fantastically with the drink.

Now, back to the naming of the drink. When asked the drink’s name, Brad had no idea. He hadn’t thought of that. So, his staff began to make suggestions. One that seemed to somewhat embarrass the congenial bartender was the “Gallier.”

That, of course, is Brad’s last name, but the server who suggested it said that since Champagne is French, the name should be pronounced gal-ē-ā (ending as in croupier).

So, do me a favor. If you want to embarrass your local bartender, go into Pearl and order the Gallier, and be sure to try the Firecracker Shrimp while you’re at it.

2306 E. Cary St. BookbindersRichmond.com While a taste of the bubbly need not be reserved for celebratory occasions only, if you are celebrating anything or planning an office party, there’s no more beautiful location than Bookbinders, right along the canal on East Cary Street.

General manager Lynne Cohen says (and I agree) that Bookbinders is the perfect place for any special occasion: “from an intimate dinner for eight to a full-blown bash for 70.” Actually, the facility can hold up to 200 for your wedding, an anniversary party or just about anything worth celebrating.

And, if you’re looking for a great meal for Thanksgiving or Christmas day, you might want to consider Bookbinders.

They’ll be open from 1 to 6 p.m. both days, offering a special prix fixe menu.

Lynne’s pairing of a sparkling cocktail and appetizer was spot on. Her Bookbinder’s Smash beautifully complemented the prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella appetizer. The combination of the tastes worked perfectly.

The Smash was a smash with me. It incorporates Grey Goose (a great place to start) along with a little Luxardo cherry liqueur, a touch of St. Germain elderflower liqueur and some cranberry juice. She then topped it off with Prosecco. This drink sparkled all the way down. On its own, it was a great drink, but there was something about that fantastic appetizer that made this such a tasty pairing. Maybe it was the saltiness of the fried prosciutto coupled with the mozzarella and the baby arugula. Or perhaps it was the balsamic vinegar drizzled over the appetizer. I guess you can tell that I was very happy with my visit.

From listening to the comments and observations of these professionals, I learned a few things during our three stops.

I discovered that sparkling cocktails always go well with shellfish. I learned that many folks seem to especially enjoy sparkling cocktails in the spring and fall. But I also learned that there’s something about chilly weather that makes a sparkling cocktail so special. I bet they go down pretty well in the summertime, too.

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RichmondNavigator.com 17

HAPPY HOUR GUIDE FLAVOR

18 RiverCity

STEVE COOK

LALO’S COCINA BAR & GRILL SAISON 2617 W. Broad St.; 804-257-9930; LalosCocina.com

23 W. Marshall St.; 804-269-3689 SaisonRVA.com

MY NOODLE & BAR

MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, 4 TO 7p.m.

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 5 TO 7p.m.

MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, 3 TO 6p.m.

Classic Margaritas - $4.95 Draft beers - starting at $2 Rail drinks - $4 Flavored mojitos - $6

ONE MORE THING

Enjoy Lalo’s authentic soft tacos for just $2 each, daily from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Choose from carnitas (pork), pollo (chicken), carne asada (steak) and fish (fish), served with homemade salsa verde.

“Fancy Shot & Beer Pairings” are offered at half off regular prices. Includes: Evil Twin Citra Sunshine & Corralejo Reposado - $8 Stillwater Rio de Sauvin & Appleton White - $5.75 Wakefield Union Jack Porter & Ancho Reyes - $7 All small plates - $2 off

ONE MORE THING

There are several other pairings, all of which offer you the opportunity to enjoy some truly top shelf drinks at an extraordinary price.

LUNCH . SUPPER!

1213-1215 Summit Ave.; 804-353-0111 LunchOrSupper.com

JOEY WHARTON

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 3 TO 7p.m.

Rail drinks - $3.50 Wines (on tap) - $1 off House wines (on tap) - $2 off

ONE MORE THING

Draft beers - $1 off PBR - $1.50 Tecate - $2

Although there are no appetizers on the happy hour menu as we go to press, that may soon change. So be sure to ask.

1600 Monument Ave.; 804-308-1613 MyNoodleAndBar.com Craft beer - $2.50 Domestic beer - $2

Asian beer - $4 Rail liquor - $3

ONE MORE THING

Rotating specials every day: Monday: Mai Tai, Margarita, mojito - $4 Tuesday: Beer and rail shot - $5; buy one appetizer & get the second half price Wednesday: Half off any bottle of wine Thursday: Shots (for ladies only) - $2; martinis (for everyone) - $5

TORERO TAPAS BAR & GRILL 1409 E. Cary St.; 804-643-0911 ToreroRVA.com

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 5 TO 7p.m.

Select wines - $2 off Bottled beers - $2 off

Select tapas - half off

ONE MORE THING

On Tuesdays, happy (social) hour runs until 9 p.m. with special pricing on craft cocktails. Tuesday is also seafood night, with tapas, paella and mixed grill items at 25% off.

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY *All happy hour specials contained in this guide are subject to change and may be discontinued without notice.

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FEATURE

RichmondNavigator.com 21

RICHMOND THEN AND NOW

By Annie Tobey

MAGGIE WALKER & RICHMOND WOMEN – ORGANIZING FOR GOOD

T

HE SPIRIT OF MAGGIE WALKER LIVES ON – not just in Church Hill where she was born or Jackson Ward where she lived most of her life; not just in the National Park Service historic site that bears her name; and not just in the statue that Richmond will erect in her memory.

Her spirit lives on in all people who band together to support others, hard-working individuals of all races and genders who don’t let obstacles stop them.

Maggie Lena Mitchell Walker was born in 1864, while the Civil War was still raging. Her mother, a former slave, worked as a paid servant in the household of Elizabeth Van Lew, abolitionist and Union spy. Her biological father was an Irish-born Confederate soldier, but the girl later took the name of her stepfather, a butler at the Van Lew mansion, whom her mother married when Maggie was 4 years old.

Despite an humble start, Maggie Walker became a prominent businesswoman, the first black woman in the U.S. to become president of a chartered bank. Her goal was not merely to become successful in her own right, but to use her success to lift others, especially other blacks and women.

Even as a child, young Maggie Mitchell recognized economic disparities. As a young woman, she taught elementary school and studied accounting.

Her career rise perhaps began with a passion when she joined the Independent Order of St. Luke, moving through the ranks up to its highest position, Right Worthy Grand Secretary. There she was able to mobilize resources to achieve her heartfelt goals.

In an address to the Right Worthy Grand Council of that organization, Walker illuminated her strategies: Organize: “We have invited all; and all have come. The good and true, the noble and pure men and women from every rank and walk of life.”

Join for a purpose: “They have come hoping and wishing for an opportunity to join hands, and still further cement our fraternal band.”

Plan: “What do we need to still further develop and prosper us, numerically and financially?

“First we need a savings bank… Let us put our moneys together; let us use our moneys; let us put our money out at usury among ourselves, and realize the benefit ourselves…

Next, she emphasized the need to give employment to those “good women, willing women, hard-working women, noble women, whose money is here, whose interests are here, whose hearts and souls are here… We need to start and operate a factory for the making of clothing for women and children, men’s underwear and a millinery store.”

Communicate and coordinate: “What we need is an organ, a newspaper to herald and proclaim the work of our Order.”

Work at what matters: “We need consecrated men and women, who will raise something else besides points of order. Do something else besides cavil or parliamentary questions.”

MAGGIE L WALKER NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

“Isn’t it amazing what one woman and her friends can do?”

Lucy Goode Brooks Founder of Richmond’s FRIENDS Association for Children in 1871

FEATURE Though many individuals and groups in Richmond walk similar pathways, some of Walker’s most direct successors are our local women’s business organizations, which have organized to network, support, educate and enrich their communities.

NETWORK OF ENTERPRISING WOMEN The goals of N.E.W. are to assist and encourage women who desire to become established in business and to foster the exchange of knowledge and understanding of methods for success in establishing and maintaining a business. The group hosts a networking luncheon first Thursdays at Willow Oaks Country Club and other events.

NetworkOfEnterprisingWomen.org RIVER CITY EXPRESS NETWORK River City offers a mix of programs, networking opportunities and social events. Monthly breakfast meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month at Willow Oaks Country Club. Recent program topics include “Improve Your Presentation Skills Through Storytelling” with Joan Bowling and “The 3 Things You Must Know to Take Your Business to the Next Level!” with Dwayne Bennett. River City Express Network is an affiliate of the national American Business Women’s Association (ABWA).

RiverCityExpressNetwork.org NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS, RICHMOND CHAPTER NAWBO Richmond members include community entrepreneurs and corporate sponsors that encourage success through programs designed to generate business opportunities, build strategic alliances and influence public policy. Meetings include luncheon programs, dinner meetings and an annual Women of Excellence awards dinner. Topics in 2015 include “Differing Perspectives on Marketing” and “Women Entrepreneurs.”

NAWBORichmond.org RICHMOND WOMEN’S NETWORK RWN seeks to increase professional growth, career opportunities and earning power through new business contacts, educational programs, and information sharing while encouraging friendships within the business community. Informal lunch meetings are held Wednesdays, with four weekly meetings scattered throughout town: first Wednesdays in Mechanicsville, second Wednesdays in West End, third Wednesdays downtown and fourth Wednesdays on Southside.

Facebook at Richmond Women’s Network (RWN) EXECUTIVE WOMEN’S GOLF ASSOCIATION The EWGA connects women to learn, play and enjoy golf for business and for fun. The organization is dedicated to inclusiveness and diversity in its membership.

EWGARichmond.com

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...

CAVALIER CHAPTER OF THE ABWA Another local chapter of the American Business Women’s Association.

Facebook: Cavalier Chapter of ABWA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF WOMEN ACCOUNTANTS The Richmond Chapter brings together women in all fields of accounting and finance to learn, network and give back to the community as a group.

ASWARichmond.org METROPOLITAN RICHMOND WOMEN’S BAR ASSOCIATION The MRWBA supports and enhances the professional development of women in the legal profession through education and networking opportunities. Meetings include monthly luncheons at Willow Oaks Country Club.

MRWBA.org NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION The Richmond Chapter of the South Atlantic Region of NAWIC works to enhance the success of women in the construction industry.

NAWICRichmond.wordpress.com COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE WOMEN – RICHMOND CREW-Richmond connects experienced commercial real estate professionals from diverse fields to enhance and promote members’ achievement of their personal, professional and leadership potential through interaction and communication locally and nationally.

CREWRichmond.org BUSINESS WOMEN CRUSH WEDNESDAYS Part of Central Virginia’s Local Affiliate of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

RichmondBusinessAlliance.com EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN’S EXCHANGE Part of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

GRCC.com CHESTERFIELD CHAMBER’S WOMEN’S BUSINESS COUNCIL Part of the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce.

ChesterfieldChamber.com THE METROPOLITAN BUSINESS LEAGUE Serving minority-owned businesses.

TheMBL.org For more information on the Maggie Walker National Historic Site: NPS.gov/MAWA RC MAGGIE L WALKER NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities

RichmondNavigator.com 23

Natural Gas Pipelines are Everywhere You Are...

www.RichmondGov.com

Follow us on Twitter @UtilityBuddy for exciting DPU-related work and street closures, read the latest news at www.cordpu.blogspot.com, and join DPU on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rvadpu

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015