The Slice: Hello, goodbye, strombagel

SCOOP, THERE IT IS

Strawberry Street is about to get even sweeter thanks to Whisk owner Morgan Botwinick. Come spring, she'll open Scoop, a made-from-scratch ice cream shop serving sundaes, make-your-own ice cream sandwiches, and pints to-go, perfect for an after-school stroll or an ice cream date in Scuffletown Park. "I've always loved ice cream for its versatility," says Botwinick. "It's the perfect canvas to showcase so many different ingredients, and I am really looking forward to offering some creative and playful new flavor combinations." Scoop will be located at 403 Strawberry Street, or what you know as the former Video Fan space.

CALL THE ALEWIFE

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported this week that co-owner of The Roosevelt and Southbound and multiple James Beard Award semi-finalist, chef Lee Gregory will open his own restaurant, Alewife, in Church Hill in February of next year. The menu will focus on seafood from the Chesapeake Bay and Mid-Atlantic and will highlight sustainability. 

Gregory told the RTD, "There’s more to Virginia than rockfish and oysters and we’re hoping to shed some light on it in a different way." That means putting fish like drum and sugar toads on the menu and observing sustainable practices from the bar to the wine list to the menu itself.

Alewife will be located at 3120 E. Marshall Street in Church Hill and will likely offer dinner five nights a week. 

BYE, BYE BLACK SHEEP

In confusing bummer news, The Black Sheep announced on Instagram that it is now closed for business at its West Marshall Street location, saying, "Thank you to all that passed through our doors and entered our lives. -The Black Sheep 04/15/08-11/26/17." GAME OVER MAN, GAME OVER. Or is it? Internet rumors persist that the sheep might migrate to the former Betty On Davis location at 805 N Davis Ave, which would be cool because then maybe the line for brunch would be shorter? Co-owner Kevin Roberts has been tight-lipped about future plans when approached by RTD.

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT

Kids are the ultimate mooches. They want everything, and they don't even consider paying. Mine doesn't even have a job, and yet she begs for Hatchimals, completely ignoring the fact that they're just $60 Furbies in giant eggs.

Now, finally, there's a dining option that provides a bit of relief from the constant shelling out of money that is parenthood: Monday through Thursday from 5:00 to 6:00, kids eat free from the kids menu at Laura Lee's, with the purchase of any adult entree or sandwich. You can use that savings to buy yourself a cocktail because, god knows, you deserve it.

SPRING WILL COME AGAIN

It's not too much to dream that spring will once again grace us with green vegetables and baseball, and if you want to give yourself a specific moment to look toward, make it a foray with Haashrooms. I joined Steve Haas for a foraging expedition a few years ago, and it was as productive as it was educational. I left with a haul of both chanterelles AND knowledge. This April, you can learn to hunt for your own morels with the Haas crew for the first hunt of the season. The foray is $50 per person and limited to 25 attendees.

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WENDELL

Wendell Berry is an author, environmentalist and farmer; and if you're not already familiar with his name, do yourself a favor and snag a ticket to Real Local RVA's showing of the film "Look & See" on Thursday, December 7th at the Martin Agency.

The film, which was produced by Robert Redford, Terrence Malick and Nick Offerman, "revolves around the divergent stories of several residents of Henry County, Kentucky, who each face difficult choices that will dramatically reshape their relationship with the land and their community." There will be beer, provided by Hardywood and a raffle for a gift certificate from Little Saint. Tickets are $20 per person, and proceeds benefit Real Local RVA and Tricycle Urban Ag.

KNOW YOUR ROOTS

And speaking of Real Local, we're gearing up for the third workshop in our Appleseed Series, "Know Your Roots: Your Business in the Tourism Conversation" (Monday, December 11th from 11:30 to 1:00), and this one is all about engaging with tourism to help tell your story to a wider audience.

So often, we have clients ask us "how did so and so end up on a list of the best bakeries in town, and how can I get on those lists?" Well, one way is to connect with the folks who are responsible for marketing our city and state to the rest of the world--That would be Richmond Region Tourism and the Virginia Tourism Corporation. We'll explore ways to engage with them to maximize your presence and capture tourism dollars. Tickets are $45 for Real Local members and $55 for the public.

THE CURE: HAPPILY EVER AFTER

This Sunday, Belmont Butchery is hosting a Cure Class and dinner with butcher and author of Pure Charcuterie Meredith Leigh. The class and dinner will take place at Branch & Vine, and tickets are available for either the demo ($70), the dinner ($116), or both ($166). The class will cover different types of charcuterie you can make at home, plus charcuterie sampling; the three-course butcher's dinner will include wines paired by Branch & Vine owner Matt Fraker.

SIP OF THE WEEK: PASTURE'S "RICHMOND"

You can sip the soul-warming combination of Bulleit bourbon, Dolin Rouge, Angostura bitters and a brandied cherry when you drop off gifts for Pasture's Holiday Gift Drive, going on now until December 17th, or save it for the Gift Drive Happy Hour on December 11th. Pasture is accepting donations for children in Richmond Foster Care, in partnership with Connecting Hearts, and they're looking for new, unwrapped gifts for 0-18 year olds as well as reusable large totes. Warm your heart and your soul in one fell swoop!

BITE OF THE WEEK: THE STROMBAGEL

You know what they say, "When pizza's on a bagel, you can eat pizza any time." So, imagine if you will...a world in which a stromboli lives WITHIN a bagel. Surely you could eat that any time too, right? Well friends, that world is this world, thanks to Black Seed Bagel and Emily Pizza in New York. In the era of ridiculous food trends (looking at you, Cronut), the Strombagel (or Stromboli Bagel if you take the more formal approach) is something that actually appeals to me, but if I want it (and oh, I do), I'm going to have to make the trek to NYC STAT because this ray of sunshine is available for December only. (Or maybe Nate Mathews will try his hand at this alchemy and be even more of a hero to us all...A girl can dream.)

GRAM OF THE WEEK: @THERICHMONDEXPERIENCE

When it comes to cultivating the best local experiences, Samantha and Sean Kanipe of The Richmond Experience are at the top of their game. Follow along for grams and stories, and don't be surprised if they inspire a sense of FOMO. And check out their local gift guide for all your holiday shopping needs.