Fall in RVA

Alright, this is really my first post about things to do in Richmond (RVA- for those of my Atlantans who are not familiar with the town's branding) and what it might have to offer. This is also an exciting post for me because it's the first annual topic repeat I've written.

Sorry, let me back up right quick...Something wonderful happened to me this weekend. It happens once a year, and it's a spectacular moment that energized me for the upcomming change that is right on our heels...

I had my first sweet taste of Fall. Marked by that first beautiful morning where you walk out of the house in shorts, a tank top, flip flops and your immediate reaction is "Huh, it's almost chilly out here". And once that 8am chill burns off and you realize that it is now 11am and that slight hint of chill is still overpowering the oppressive summer heat that has been breaking our spirits for months, THAT'S the moment of beauty that I am referring to. It's better than seeing that damn groundhog pop out of the ground into a shadowless world where Spring has arrived.

Perhaps not everyone has this same respect for the grand autumnal shift, but there's just nothing like the fall. The weather is perfect, the leaves are gorgeous, the beers are pumpkiny, and the football is plentiful. Oh the joy of football season. A mere 13 days away from losing my Saturdays and being happy to do it. This is the kind of stuff that dreams are made of. Well, my dreams.

But during this time of year that I cherish so deeply, I don't want to be stuck longing for my normal Atlanta-themed fall line up: Ice Cream Festival, Decatur Beer Fest, GA Tech/ Miami game, Fall tennis season, my favorite patios, etc. I need to figure out what the RVA Fall treasures are.

So I will ask kindly that those of you who know better than I, what should I be gearing up for this fall?? What events do I need to be blocking time on my calendar at work in order to stalk tickets so that I can be sure to get into the biggest and best thing? Although given the fact that I've yet to need a reservation for dinner on a weekend night in town, I'm not terribly concerned about ticket sales for many events. Maybe I should be.

Where are the best bars for watching Saturday college football- keep in mind, needs to be somewhere that with lots of TVs so that they will hopefully pick up all the UGA and Miami games. What are the top festivals to be on the lookout for? And most importantly...what is the preferred local craft fall brew?? This is also something I haven't noticed in RVA, but in ATL, almost every bar in town has a college allegiance...where certain alums gather to watch their games. Don't reckon anyone knows of any Miami or UGA bars in town? I'm guessing not, based on my hours of Google searching.

Holy guacamole, I have so much to learn to get prepared for the season and time is just slipping away from me! I cannot go into the season lacking the appropriate knowledge. So help the new girl in town a bit. Any information is greatly appreciated, and company is always more than welcome! I'll be easy to find this fall, surely there aren't that many Miami jerseys in town. The only question is whether or not I can get away with wearing my Dawgs shirt underneath so that I can adjust accordingly depending on game times. I'm sure I'll figure it out...

Thank you in advance, and I look forward to exploring a new way to do Fall. I may still stalk Decatur Beerfest tickets just in case though...

And for those in Atlanta, the Roswell Ice Cream festival is next weekend. Go. Great event, great cause. Just do it, ok? For me? Thanks.

Happy NOT Groundhog's Day!

CLW