💬 FROM ME TO YOU…
July feels like Richmond at its most itself.
Hot, yes. A little dramatic about it, also yes. But underneath all that humidity is a city that knows how to live. If you know where to look, you can find so many pockets of it that feel like a secret worth keeping.
This month I’m taking you to two of my favorites. Westover Hills and Woodland Heights are the kinds of neighborhoods that people discover and then wonder how they didn’t know about them sooner. I’ve loved both of them for a long time, and I’m happy to make the introduction.
I’m also sharing my recipe for Eton Mess, which is what I make when I want something that feels impressive but requires almost no effort. (That is not a criticism. That is its very best feature.) It’s creamy, it’s full of summer berries, and it’s exactly the kind of dessert you bring to a party and then refuse to give the recipe to. Except I’m giving you the recipe. Because that’s what we do here.
Also, we have something so fun in the works. I’m planning a cool event in September for the people who’ve sent business my way, and I’ll be sharing details soon. If you’ve referred a friend, a neighbor, a colleague, or anyone who needed a good agent, I want you there. And if you’ve been meaning to pass my name along to someone who’s thinking about buying or selling? Now would be the perfect time. (Just saying.)
Finally, if you’re a client or past client, you probably received an “update all your information” card with the possibility to win. Thanks to everyone who participated. The winner is Patty Soileau! Patty, keep an eye on your mailbox!
Let’s get into it!
It’s Officially Summer. What Are You Doing?
I’m a big fan of being intentional with a plan, but also flexible enough to allow for some serendipity or account for the times when life does its thing. That’s why nearly every season, I make a “must do” list, and I do a yearly bingo card. Both ensure that I don’t get to the end of summer, for example, and realize I never got to the beach, or ate a tomato sandwich. So, whatever you do- a list, a bingo card, or something else entirely- check out the Summer Guide that will cover just about everything going on between now and fall. (Who are we kidding, there’s always new stuff happening. It’s Richmond!)
CHECK IT OUT HERE
📍RVA Spotlight: Westover Hills and Woodland Heights
When I was a kid growing up in the suburbs, my friend Diane lived in Westover Hills, and I thought it was just about the coolest place I had ever seen. The curving streets, the sidewalks everywhere, the houses with actual character; a little magical, like everything had a story. I wasn’t wrong. This week on the blog, I’m highlighting two of Richmond’s most beloved south-of-the-James neighborhoods: Westover Hills and Woodland Heights. River access, historic architecture, the electric streetcar that literally changed American transportation, WPA Bakery’s canelés (don’t even get me started), Väsen’s “new” Forest Hill taproom, Stella’s Grocery, and what the real estate market is actually doing here.
COME TAKE A WALK WITH ME
🍴 What I’m Cooking Right Now
The Perfect Fruity Dessert Doesn’t Exist….
As I type this, we’re headed into the record heat wave that they keep calling “The worst heat we’ve had in Central Virginia in recorded history,” or something like that. UGH.
What to do when it’s also summer, and holidays, and just too hot, but you want something delicious to take to the cookout. I present to you the Eton Mess. One of my all-time favorite summer desserts. It’s almost more of an assembly project; you can make it on the fly or take your time and get fancy. Best of all, you don’t even necessarily have to turn the oven on. Click below for the recipe, and whip up your own light, delicious, creamy, crispy, cool, fruity treat. (Perfect if you want a little red, white, and blue for the Fourth as well!)
GET THE RECIPE HERE
Do you have home questions, need contractor referrals, or are you (or someone you know) thinking of buying or selling a home in the Richmond area? Reach out! I’d love to help.
👉 SEARCH RICHMOND HOMES FOR SALE
👉 GET YOUR HOMES VALUE
👉 START YOUR SEARCH
👉 BOOK A CONSULT
