Q / How long have you lived on Church Hill?

I've been up here on and off since 1998. Longest stretch was from 2003 to 2010, back off of Fairmount Avenue.

Q / What’s your favorite piece of history about the neighborhood?

You ever heard of Thomas Cannon? He was a postal clerk who lived over in Union Hill in a little antebellum frame house for decades, he never made more than $20,000 a year but gave away more than $150,000 to help other people who he read about in the newspaper.

Q / In what small ways has the neighborhood changed over the years? What large ways?

The last 5 years have seen amazing change up here. So many vacant houses have been picked up and fixed up, so many new restaurants have opened - it's really gotten vibrant. A whole less shooting, too.

There's been great movement towards repairing the social infrastructure that was left so tattered by the 2nd half of the 20th century. A favorite example is the Robinson Theater over on Q Street... This old movie theater was a vacant shell until 2008 or so, sitting empty for decades. It's been wonderfully redone, with a new marquee and everything, and serves as a community center with classes for kids and adults, movies, a weekly farm stand, a great talent show...

YOUNG PEOPLE

My favorite small change might be all of the Little Free Libraries that have popped up. Who doesn't love free books?


Q / What’s your go-to coffee spot (feel free to plug WPA here!)?

I've got to tell you, I  love my french press too much to get coffee out that regularly. WPA is my regular spot to meet people for stuff, but... SAY mORE HERE


Q / Favorite place for a quiet dinner?

As much as I love the restaurants up here, none of 'em are quiet... Just got to L'Opossum in Oregon Hill for the 1st time recently and loved it, that place is 100%. Curry Craft in Carytown is phenomenal.


Q / Tell us what an ideal day in Church Hill would be like? (From morning to night)

This is a good one...

There's a walk you can do, maybe 3 miles long, that puts you up top Jefferson Park, the Grace Street Overlook, Libby Hill, and then Chimborazo Park. Except for maybe the Flood Wall, these are easily the best views in Richmond... This is a great wat to start the day. Stop along the way for a muffin from WPA or pain au chocolate from Sub Rosa, grab a bench to sit on and admire the view.

Richmond Rides does these great bike tours of the neighborhood, a mix of deep history and snacks. It's a great introduction to the soul of the area.

You're not leaving the neighborhood for lunch, that's for damn sure, but you do have a hard choice to make... Dog & Pig Show is a take-out joint with a amazing mix of southern & Asian that is like nothing else. Best shrimp & grits, ever. I'm serious... Or just go straight southern and get something from Alamo BBQ or Jus' Fish. Pick a different park  and go eat your lunch.

Depending on the day, there are afternoon farm stands to stop at for the week's veggies.

Q / What are you most excited for in Richmond’s future?

I'm stoked to see the old neighborhoods really getting healthy again. I want to see our public schools get awesome. The next gen of kids growing up in the city. Shorter term - the Capital Trail.