These Are a Few of My Favorite Things 

by Fayeruz Regan 11.2022

Happiness is like good health. You never think about it when you’re in the midst of it, but as soon as it’s gone, it’s all you can think about.

To combat the self-pity I occasionally like to revel in, I’ve been practicing gratitude. I’m taking the time to be more present and celebrating the little things that make life sweeter.

Last year around Thanksgiving, I wrote a piece for NORTH of the JAMES about a few of my favorite things in Richmond. So in the spirit of gratitude, I’ll make it a November tradition to list the things in RVA that I’m grateful for.

The foods!

I could live off the tuna tartare tacos at East Coast Provisions, the dirty chai at The Smoky Mug, the Greek street fries at The Greek Taverna, and bacon maple doughnuts at Sugar Shack.

Hotel Greene

I may never star in a Wes Anderson film, but I can have an immersive experience at Hotel Greene.  From the bell hop uniforms and vintage suitcases to the faded wallpaper and secret peepholes, it’s a reverential nod to the indie director.

Even those unfamiliar with Wes Anderson will be seduced by the cocktails and mini golf course that winds through the bowels of this historic hotel, which is rumored to be haunted. From Turkish baths to a hotel bedroom with a ringing phone, you’ve never seen thirteen holes like these.

Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken

Of all the places in Virginia that Lee’s could have planted their flag, they chose Richmond. The next closest location is in South Carolina. Lee’s understands spice, and their zesty chicken wings and potato wedges will have you coming back for more.

RVA Fashion Week

Did you know that Richmond hosts a fashion week every spring and fall? Many who have recently discovered it are blown away by the bold designers building a reputation in the region. The week-long event features a different experience every night. This year’s standout was SneakerFest, with “sneakerheads” snatching up collectibles and limited-edition kicks.

But no matter what, the week culminates in a jaw-dropping fashion show that will make you want to revitalize your closet, and brag about all that creative energy flowing out of Richmond.

Lebanese Food Festival

There may be some bellyaching about “woke culture,” but as a Middle Easterner, I am celebrating how it’s helped us. It’s hard to believe that people used to think it was clever to joke that I was a terrorist, and await a polite laugh from me. I even used to cut my first name in half, going by Faye just to minimize my “otherness.”

But these days? Arabs are loud and proud. We go by our birth names and can eat hummus with reckless abandon, now that overpriced tubs are sold at Whole Foods. And The Lebanese Food Festival is more than just incredible food. There’s music, dancing, performances, and most importantly, a sense of community. It’s a celebration of culture that feels like family.  

Get the frozen spinach pies and meat pies to go. They defrost beautifully and come in handy long after the weekend is over.

Brambly Park

Brambly Park reminds me of George Seurat’s most famous painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte – I promise that the online image will jog your memory. In the painting, people are out en masse enjoying the beautiful weather – a woman dressed in black with a black parasol is the focal point. It’s a place to see and be seen.

Brambly Park feels the same way. It’s sprawling, and unlike a restaurant, where we are sequestered to a small slice of real estate, we are free to roam. If you reserve a picnic table with friends, you are still free to play bocce ball, dance in front of the stage, lay a blanket down for a picnic, or lounge on an Adirondack chair in the shade. It’s a park, but one that delivers beer and truffle fries.

The Mary Munford playground

I know Soar 360 (formerly Arc Park) is considered the gold standard for Richmond playgrounds, but anyone who has been to Mary Munford might beg to differ. Like Germany, which truly has the best playgrounds in the word, Mary Munford features towering wooden structures, tunnels, multiple slides, swings, a wooden suspension bridge and little painted houses.

There’s an adjacent non-wooden playground as well, which challenges kids with balance, climbing, and plenty of contraptions to keep them dizzy.