Around RVA: Festivals

Whether you are new to Richmond or not, there's always so many things to do. We're so impressed with this comprehensive list that Richmond.com has put together of things to do this week. We're also really glad to see Magpie on this list, since it is a restaurant that New Earth VA has helped remodel. Check out the article below for details on what's going on around Richmond! (Article via Richmond.com)

Wednesday, July 23

Treveri Sparkling and Fried Food Pairing at Metzger Bar and Butchery

Stop by this new Church Hill-area restaurant to learn all about Treveri Cellars sparkling wines and try some of chef Brittanny Anderson's snacks. Four wines, four snacks. $25. Starts at 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 24

Free Meet, Greet, and Eat with Free Run Wines and Andrew Jones of Field Recordings Wines at Saison Market

California winemaker Andrew Jones will be in town tasting his wines and chef Adam Hall will be cooking up some pairings for each wine. Free. Starts at 6 p.m.

The Kick-Off for 909 Courtyard's new Wine Tasting Series

First up: Wine Tasting I. Terricinia St. Clair from The Tipsy Sommelier will cover "basic wine tasting techniques as well as the various identifying characteristics of five of the noble wine varietals (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon).  And at the end of the course you'll be able to identify them by sight, smell and taste. Tickets are all-inclusive at $30 and can bepurchased here. Starts at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, July 25

Lickinghole Creek tap takeover for the 23rd & Main One Year Anniversary Party

Lickinghole is taking over the bar at 23rd and Main for an anniversary party with food and drink specials and live music from 5 - 9 p.m.

Saturday, July 26

RVAle Belgian Summer Ale Release at Center of the Universe Brewing

 

The COTU folks are honoring Wort Share Competition winner Scott Golden with an RVAle release party, with lots of beer, live music and food trucks from 3 - 9 p.m.

 

Every Monday

 

Wine Down Monday at Lehja

 

All day and night on Monday, Lehja in Short Pump is doing half-off selections from its award-winning wine list.

Thursday, Aug. 7

Hardywood Park Craft Beer Dinner at Morton’s, $85

A four-course dinner with steak as the entrée and a beer appetizer at Morton’s at 6 p.m.MENU. Call (804) 648-1662 for reservations.

Friday, Aug. 15

Wine & Whiskers at The Shops at Willow Lawn

This free event features wineries, food sampling, and live music by the 80’s cover band Party McFly. It's just $10 to do the wine tasting, 6 - 9 p.m. Details.

More upcoming dining events:

Saturday, July 26

Tiki Party & Pig Roast at The Rogue Gentlemen, $30

The Rogue Gentlemen are roasting up a whole Autumn Olive Farms heritage pig and torch-lining the patio for their tiki party. Side dishes re included with the pig (and ticket price) an there will be tiki drinks with flowers and umbrellas. Tickets. Party starts at 5 p.m.

Pop-Up Cookout at Amuse

It's a party on the patio at Amuse from 5 - 8 p.m. on Saturday, with gourmet hot dogs, corn dogs, kimchi tater tots, Hardywood beer flowing, tons of craft cocktails and much more. No reservations necessary, just show up and enjoy (and pay for your things a la carte).

Monday, July 28

La Urraca at The Magpie

In celebration of its third anniversary, The Magpie is transforming itself into La Urraca for one-night only. The restaurant will be serving a "a mix of Spanish and Latin American flavors with an emphasis on traditional style street foods and complementing cocktails." The party starts at 5 p.m. and goes until whatever. Reservations are encouraged but not necessary. Menu coming soon.

The menu (prices will be $5 - $14)

(Article via Richmond.com)

Pros and Cons: Wooden Floors

As a Class-A contractor, New Earth gets often asked to install wooden floors in all types of homes. We have realized that people usually have quite a few questions about the process, the cost and some of the benefits and disadvantages of wooden floors. We've put together a list of things to consider when purchasing a new home or updating an old one to wooden floors. Let's start with the positive first:

Pro's

• Easy Clean Up - What makes this particularly important is that you can easily recognize dirt or dust and clean it up. There are plenty of ways to clean a wooden floor, from: items you can pick up at your local grocery store to steam mops that disinfect.
• Cost Effective Repairs - If a section of your wooden floor happens to be damaged, it is very easy to target the replacement of the floor. You don't need to replace the entire thing. 
• Environmentally Friendly - Wooden floors come from natural materials which means they are biodegradable and it is a resource that can be replanted. 
• Hypoallergenic - Suffering from allergies is no joke, wooden floors allow to measure the amount of dust and allergens that live on the surface. Other flooring options like carpet don't give you that level of control since carpeting is often considered a breeding ground for allergens. 

Con's

• Cost - It usually costs more money upfront to install wooden floors, although in the long run you might see the value because it is a low maintenance option. 
• Durability - Even though wooden floor tend to last for a long time, it can scratch easily especially if you have pets or kids in the house.

Although the our Con's list is not very extensive, price is something to consider that can be a major factor in your decision. Keep in mind that this is a long term investment and that you'll probably end up saving money in the long run. 

For more great tips and info visit our website www.NewEarthVA.com

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Historic Home Restorations

There has been a great appeal for newly renovated history homes. Home buyers gravitate more and more to houses that have an antique exterior with historic moldings and accents but modern appliances and bathrooms. Young professionals with families are more prone to be interested in this type of property. Richmond is the perfect location for those who have interested in that specific type of architectural style. Areas like the Fan, Churchill and Northside have an increasing number of homes that are being renovated and resuscitated to new life with kitchen and bathroom additions. Part of the renovations also include opening the space, making common living room spaces larger to give the illusion that one sits in one large room. This wasn’t very typical of old homes since they were separated into small rooms. 

The decor of these houses is usually a combination of antique looking furniture with modern art pieces, chrome lighting fixtures, chandeliers and neutral wall colors. The flooring typically remains made out of wood unless it is a bathroom or kitchen were tile is being used. Different kinds of rugs and curtains are used to create multidimensional textures. Accent pillows and blankets are also used all over the property to create a sense of homeyness. Windows are expanded and exposed to enable as much natural light as possible in every room. 

We’d like to see more of these homes preserved, because even though they might not be in all of their original glory they can be transformed into livable and upgraded houses that retain some of their original charm.  

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Tips for Spring

Spring is here and soon it will be summer, before this wonderful weather runs out there are a few projects that you should consider doing that our friends at Forbes Magazine suggest. 

1. Gutter Check

This one seems simple enough  but most people overlook it. The reason why you should check your gutters is because a lot has accumulated over the Fall and Winter. Having a backed up gutter can cause all kinds of problems to your home including leaky roofs and fire hazards. This is a project that will not take very long but can save you a lot of money. 

2. Chimney Sweep 

A lot of older home in Richmond, VA have fireplaces. Again, they could be heavily backed up from use over the winter to all kinds of debris coming in from the outside. If a chimney is not properly kept it can be a major fire hazard. Do it now so you don't have to worry about it later on! 

3. Water Pipes

This one is definitely one that can be easily missed. Water pipes can freeze over the winter, especially in Virginia. Water freezes and expands in the pipes, sometimes rupturing them. This can be a very costly problem if it is not address immediately. Broken pipes can cause floods in unexpected areas of the house costing thousands of dollars in repairs.

4. Air Conditioning

Summer will be here before you know it and with that you'll have a vey expensive AC bill. Optimizing your home for climate control is a good idea for saving money down the long run. Make sure that you don't have any leaks in windows, doors, attic, etc. Also ensure that your AC unit has all the properly maintenance done: filters, cooling liquids, etc. You can find different set on AC maintenance by visiting different resource sites on the web. 

5. Roofing

Your roof has taken a beating over these couple of seasons so it is smart to check to make sure everything is in order. This is something that if you suspect could be a problem, you might want to call a professional to inspect your roof. It can be a dangerous spot to check yourself so if you have any doubts we recommend to leave it to the professionals. 

To read this article in full please visit Forbes.com

To find more about New Earth VA and our work click here

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