Escape the Grind in the RIC

The wildly expensive clothing boutiques, tiny used bookstores and tasty restaurants that fill Carytown are just as much fun when you’re broke as when you have a paycheck to spend. My girlfriends and I spent hours browsing through rows of disturbingly expensive dresses and riffling through shelves of wonderfully yellowed books without shelling out a dime, bemoaning our student poverty but having a great time all the while.

Here, I wished I was wealthy, made fun of hideous clothing and picked up a few trinkets on every trip.

Nightlife

Shockoe Bottom

The place to be for those in their 20s and 30s, Shockoe Bottom is awash in restaurants, bars and nightclubs. On weekend nights, especially Saturdays, this place is an absolute disaster for finding free parking. Either spend a pretty penny paying for a nearby lot or be prepared for a chilly few blocks walking, especially uncomfortable in heels while traversing the uneven pavement. Still, this really is the hotspot for Richmond’s drinking age crowd.

Ages: 21+
Cover charge: Yes
Dress code: Dress to impress – no hats, flip-flops or ripped clothing

Generally regarded as the club to be at in the district, The Tobacco Company consistently has a line waiting for entry. Great for singles looking for a night of fun, the club features a fantastic dance floor and an energetic young crowd.

Here, I got to feel like I needed plastic surgery to fit in.

Ages: 21+
Cover charge: Yes
Dress code: Dress to impress – no hats for men

Set on the second story of the restaurant, Richbrau has an upscale club feel without actually being that pretentious. The floors are packed with singles and groups out looking for a good time, scattered around the multiple bars, the billiards tables and on the dance floor.

Here, I’ve managed to pick up a guy, get a few bottles worth of beer accidentally splashed
on me while dancing and held many of those shouting
conversations over the music, where only half of the words said get heard.

Other Evening Destinations

Dozens of beers on tap and hundreds of bottled beers make Capital Ale House a great place for a hangout while an excellent menu and outdoor patio creates a date-worthy ambiance. Not a beer connoisseur by any means, it was fun to head in early one Saturday, sit at the bar and just flip through the ale menu, picking a few beers at random and chatting with my friends.

Here, I had a real conversation, tried a few really weird beers and felt like I should be 10 years older.

Ticket price: $1.99 (for most films)

A landmark of Richmond, The Byrd Theatre shows second-run movies every night of the week, along with matinee shows and special midnight movies. In addition to showing cheap movies, the cinema’s beautifully detailed interior ornamentation and working Mighty Wurlitzer organ, played before Saturday night shows, make this a place that everyone should visit at least once. It is perfect for the romantic and cheap weekend date: just go out for dinner then head to The Byrd.

Here, I saw some really neat architecture, watched a movie that I only slightly regretted shelling out a whole two dollars and experienced really comfortable, but often broken, seating (get in early so your spot isn’t one of the busted ones).

Daytime Destinations

Suitable for a midmorning coffee break, a lunch meeting or a dinner date, Café Gutenberg served me well as an escape where I could just as easily chat with friends or read a novel for my next day’s literature class. Not “hip” or “fun” this café just feels good to be in, a nice little retreat from everything.

A row of tables outside was nice for spring sun and fresh air, though the café’s Shockoe Bottom location made it a bit noisy. Inside, my favorite haunt was the upstairs, where cushy window seats let me settle down with a book or my laptop. Free wireless Internet, shelves of books and wine by the glass or bottle seals the package on this excellent little establishment.

Here, I connected to the virtual world (after madly searching for an open socket), glowered at people on cell phones and drank way too much espresso.

Favorite Shops to Browse in Carytown

Ages: 18+ or all ages, depending
Cover charge: Yes
Dress code: Clothes are good

A totally different crowd fills the floors of Alley Katz, a fantastic live music club. Generally a place for some of the more counterculture nighttime activities, the one time I was here, there was full-body painting going on in an upstairs nook, fire spinning in the alley (which is also the only entrance to the venue) and varied acrobatic dancers performing on the main floor.

Here, I got a beer, heard live music, nearly got set on fire and got to watch acrobats from above (which looks really cool).

When: First Friday of every month
Entry: Free.

Once a month, a few dozen art galleries, cultural centers and restaurants along and near Broad Street open up for special showings and performances. I love that First Fridays allow anyone who shows up a chance to really experience visual and performing arts. The River City Burners often put on performances outside, drawing crowds to the spinning fire and music.

Cozy, inviting and offering a decent selection of pub fare, Rare Olde Times has the look and feel of an authentic Irish pub. Great live music plays on many evenings, and at other times events like quizzes draw in crowds.