Richmond: A Look Back at 2010

365 days.

I won’t overwhelm you with the mathematical analysis of a year; go watch “Rent.”

A common tradition of many on New Year’s Day is to establish a resolution for oneself for the upcoming year. For Richmond natives, how can one improve on something that’s already so perfect? Okay, that’s corny and a little bit of hyperbole, but Virginia’s capital city is already a pretty cool place, chock full of people, places, sights, sounds and smells.

Richmond in 2010 was filled with checkmarks and empty boxes. What made the River City flow in this decade’s bookend? What dammed it up? Here’s a quick look back on what worked and what didn’t in Richmond in 2010.

What Worked

Foodie’s Delight: Being hungry in Richmond is a good problem to have. New spots like F.W. Sullivan’s and Mainstream on West Main Street in the Fan, as well as new locations of popular eateries like Pescados China Street in Oregon Hill have enhanced an already strong lineup of restaurants in the River City. For a relatively small city, the sheer number of different bars, dives and unique eateries continues to be a foodie’s delight.

Virginia Nightlife: The new website, tweeter, and Facebook friend was omnipresent to Richmond socialites this year. Even though they always seemed to be “in need of more photographers,” the Virginia Nightlife camera crew always seemed to be at the hot spot that you just happened to be in that night, too. The Nightlife service, which has become a new hub for advertising for bars, clubs and restaurants in Richmond, lets followers find specials, parties and chances to be in the spotlight with a click of a button.

To The Bottom and Back: 2BNB, as it is affectionately known, the local free bus service that runs Thursday through Saturday night until 3 a.m. shuttling around night owls from bar to bar, was an immediate hit with young Richmonders looking to bounce from spot to spot. Anything that acts as a deterrent to drinking and driving is a positive, not just to pedestrians and drivers, but to the city as a whole. Look for 2BNB at the end of the week rocking down Main Street; you can’t miss the big green behemoth.

Monument Avenue 10K: Ukrop’s annual road race, which registered more than 37,000 runners this year, was as big a spectacle as it has ever been. Runners in costumes, serious racers determined to win, children, students, grandparents and many more, made up the largest cast of characters to ever run the famous road race. It’s no longer just a race; Richmond’s popular 10K is a full blown event, attracting runners from around the country to Virginia’s capital city.

What Didn’t Work

Construction: Am I the only one who thinks that it seems as if every single road I want to drive down is closed in at least one direction? Road construction, which, to the city’s defense, was needed in many locations, seemed to slow traffic throughout the Fan almost every day. Sure they’re just doing their jobs, but when it takes me 15 minutes to get from Mulberry and West Main to Elwood Thompson’s Local Market, short drives can seem like we might as well walk (which we probably should).

Smoking Ban: This could easily be in the “What Worked” category, but let’s be honest here—patrons still smoked in bars around town. Although many bars and restaurants created designated smoking areas, the enforcing or limiting of smoking in bars seemed to be on a place-by-place basis. Also, there always seems to be confusion about who’s waiting in line to get in at Starlight or Sullivan’s and who’s just having a smoke break.

Heat Wave: Summertime in Richmond was almost unbearable in 2010. Temperatures reached 100 degrees on seven different days this past July, with August later adding to that total. While Belle Isle became a desired destination for many people trying to beat the heat, stepping outside was almost a dreaded part of many people’s days. Exercising was almost always limited to gyms or Monument Avenue runs before 8 a.m.

Michael Hippchen, a Richmond native who lives in the Fan, graduated from Virginia Tech in 2009 where he studied Print and Electronic Journalism. Contact Michael at hippchenm@gmail.com.

Richmond: A Look Back at 2010

Share This:

More from this channel:

Reader Comments

Deal of the Day

Most Popular

Follow Us On Twitter

Richmonddotcom

Things to Do