Michelle Gill

Michelle Gill

A Day with my Richmond favorites

5 of my favorite things in Richmond:

We stayed at the Linden this visit. It is definitely one of my favorites in Richmond. There are long wooden porches with rocking chairs overlooking the center garden area. So much history in the wonderful large windowed place.

2 - Stella's Grocery

Just around the corner is Stella's Grocery and they have an espresso bar and local Richmond goodies. It was a new find for me and definitely a highlight of our quick trip.

3 - Trail Hut

Another shop definitely worth visiting that is close to the Inn is the Trail Hut. They have outdoor clothes and equipment on consignment housed in what looks like an old carriage house.

4 - Perly's

Perly's is a Jewish restaurant and delicatessen. It was originally opened in 1961 by Harry and Mary Perlstein who sold it in 1978 and the current owner has brought it back to the "traditional Jewish cuisine but with a modern flare".

The french toast was the best I have ever had in my life and the beef bacon, oh my! Everything was excellent. I want to drive back to Richmond just to eat there again and try more of their food.

5 - Poe Museum

Casi and I did not go there this trip, we took the tour at the Valentine's Museum so I could see the sculpture studio but last time I was in Richmond, April and I went to the Poe Museum and it is definitely a favorite of mine and probably most any writer.

What are some of your favorite spots in Richmond?

Michelle Gill

Downtown Roanoke Murals

Update: 8/7/22

Another awesome mural has just been added to the Greenway.

Artist: Jon Murrill (painted with the help of volunteers)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg7seO3v2yJ/?igshid=NWRhNmQxMjQ=

Golden Cactus Brewing on Salem Avenue

206 Williamson Road (Who is the artist?)

Salem Avenue at Big Lick Brewery, Artist James Bullough of Berlin

James Bullough >

4th Street and Elm Avenue

The Great Heron in Wasena, Artist Toobz (Scott Noel)

Mosaics at the Market Building - Cheryl Foster
Around Taubman - "Everyone Wants to Love Their Mark" by Mickael Broth
& "In It for the Long Run" by Toobz
First Street alley by Toobz
581 Overpass pylons by Brenda Mauney Councill
Western Virginia Water Authority mural by Ashley Roop

Wasena

Wasena Bridge - "Beautiful View" by Jared Bader of Philadelphia
Main Street Bridge in Wasena
Maurice's Mockingbird Mural by Toobz

Roanoke Art extras...

Stormdrain Inlet Art Project information >

Roanoke's Art by Night >

Michelle Gill

Santa Claus's Brother

The mountains never changed. Allen lumbered out, letting the screen door slam behind him. Cats scurried around his feet.

"Got any candy, Frances?", he asked my Gramma, his sister.

"No, Allen, not today."

Looking down he spotted me behind my daddy's legs. "Santa Claus come to see you?", he asked.

"No, not yet, Allen", daddy answered.

Trailing behind us, he came up the stairs into the kitchen, and continued to ask about Santa Claus. Gray whiskers framed his face; that silly grin showing his rotten teeth. His old baseball cap that matched the color of red paint on his what used-to-be blue overalls, sat atop his balding head. He wore a torn flannel shirt, which matched his green socks underneath his overalls.

Upstairs in his dresser were new clothes still in packages that he had gotten from "Santa Claus" all the years before. In the top drawer were every kind of candy that a person could imagine, three pocket radios (on which he used to listen to Glenn Miller for hours upon end, lying on his rusting rod iron bed, smoking cigarettes), handkerchiefs - never used, a pocket knife, some shoe strings, a few pieces of kindling, a chipped marble, a sketch pad and pencil. He used to draw Popeye and all the characters as well as the cartoonist himself. He still will draw them for me when I get the courage to ask.

He doesn't usually draw anymore or dream with the sound of the music. He just "fetches some more wood", "fetches the mail", and asks about Santa Claus. Sometimes I wonder if he is Santa Claus's brother, who got dropped in the country at great-grandma's house to help her out and no one ever knew.

(Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia)