Proper Toast & Tea; Not Taking Care of Business; Traitor’s Fiery Raid; Our Wet Central Park; Welcoming Doors.

RVA 5x5 - January 8, 2024

No algorithms. No content filters. Honest and insightful analysis.
You can find the 5 main stories from Saturday’s 5-part tragic opera of the RVA Meals Tax here, and today features the “ALT 5” stories for a nice, leisurely, read. Enjoy!

This week check out our five stories on:

• A hot new addition to the VMFA that is as proper as a…tearoom.

• A great quote from a fed up business owner who has to hire a lawyer to deal to deal with the city when basic competence would resolve it.

• A quick look at the history of Benedict Arnold’s raid on Richmond that lasted just about 24 hours.

• The finalization of the purchase of Mayo Island and the chance to begin the process to establish Richmond’s “wet Central Park.”

• The 40th anniversary of the amazing hospitality provided to patients and familes receiving treatment at MCV (aka VCU Health) and the incredible vision and perseverance of those that made it happen.

THE ALT 5

ALT #1 — OFF THE BEATEN PATH: Proper Toast & Tea
Mary Scott Hardaway at Style Weekly took a visit to the VMFA’s new tearoom called Floris, that opened in December and is located in the Pauley Center (aka the Little White House) located on the western edge of the museum campus.

The interest and response has been incredible. She writes, “This response is not surprising, really. Is there anything more alluring than the taking of toast and tea in a cozy parlor during the holiday season?”

Apparently not. Open four days a week, the VMFA says they are already booked up two months out (but there is an area for walk-ins every day). And that might be because it’s not a place to get tea where the water is beyond boiling hot (like most coffeeshops) and scorches the tea leaves and even the cup is too hot to hold. It's a proper tea room.

“We really take the tea aspect very seriously,” says Cody Dickey, VMFA’s director of food service and events. “We measure and fully brew the tea before removing everything. We respect the water temperatures for each kind of tea and we work directly with the importers, educating our staff through tastings.”

They serve more than two dozen teas blended from three tea companies, Roots Tea Blends and Savory Blends Tea Company from Richmond and Dominion Tea from Purcellville in Loudon County. And there is also wine by-the-glass or bottle, bubbly, and a few local beers.

And their executive chef, Chainey Kuykendall, is all business about modeling the experience like you were at Downton Abbey.