The 2013 RVA holiday gift guide

Why give your hard-earned dollars to some dude who lives in Brooklyn? Keep it local with these awesome RVA gift ideas.

December 6, 2013; 7:24 AM • by RVANews staff

Seems like you can’t throw a cat in Richmond these days without hitting someone doing some totally awesome thing. Trust me, I’ve used up all the cats.

So instead of hurling animals, let’s support these folks and what they do by consuming their various goods! I asked the RVANews team for their favorite local gift ideas, and here’s what they came up with. Enjoy!

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Modern Artifacts — RVA ornament

How sweet is this thing (pictured above)?! So sweet! Sold by Modern Artifacts, cut with a dang laser by Big Secret, enjoyed by you and your Christmas tree for eternity / a couple decades.

$15

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Reginald’s Homemade — Creamy original peanut butter

Locally made peanut butter that comes in flavors other than peanut! We’re partial to the Nana Honey, but plain old creamy original is delicious too.

$5

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Blanchard’s Coffee Co. — Holiday Blend

Each bag of this special holiday blend of Blanchard’s coffee contains notes of apple cinnamon, cardamom, sweet dark chocolate, and the ground remains of at least two elves.

$10

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Cocoa Bella — Brewing cocoa

$15

It’s like coffee, but chocolate. Your brew it, it’s got flavors, and it’s a bit bizarre, but we’re into it in a weird way.

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Inchoate Co. — The Morning Glory bundle

You can’t fulfill your lifelong dream of moving to Newfoundland and living a small but humble life as a fisherman without the right gear. Just look at that hat!

$100

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Emerald Grippa — Flock Cashmere Modal Blend Scarf

Beautiful and versatile silk scarves for beautiful and versatile people. Although, I’m sure if you’re neither good looking nor particular versatile you can still find a way to enjoy these lovely scarves.

$150

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Wildly American Soap Company — Vanilla bean lip balm

While it’s not available on the Wildly American website (yet), the vanilla bean lip balm is available at Shields Market. I don’t personally believe in lip balm, but I hear this is buttery, delicious, and not the least bit greasy. Plus they’ve got some new products hitting the shelves in the next couple of weeks.

$1.99

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VCU basketball tickets

These are the hottest tickets in town—so hot that a big chunk of the games are already sold out. If you haven’t seen the Rams take the court in The Stu, you’re missing out on one of the definitive Richmond experiences.

Price varies

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Richmond Kickers — 2014 Season Passes

After concussions shut down American football, you’re gonna wish you were already a fan of the other kind of football. Start local with the Kickers!

Starting at $60

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Machine Era Co. — The Godwin

Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell’s heart I stab at thee; for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee. Sink all coffins and all hearses to one common pool! and since neither can be mine, let me then tow to pieces, while still chasing thee, though tied to thee, thou damned whale! THUS, I give up the spear!

$38

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Hardywood Park Craft Brewery — Gingerbread Stout

If you’re reading these words and you haven’t yet secured your loved one a bottle of Hardywood’s Gingerbread Stout, you are both probably too late and a very bad person.

$10.50

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Atomic Robo Vol. 1

Did you know a superfamous / supertalented comic dude lives right here in ol’ RVA? Brian Clevinger writes the awesome Atomic Robo that’s fun, hilarious, and treats women as real, live humans. The first issue is free on ComiXology!¹

$7.99

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Young House Love: 243 Ways to Paint, Craft, Update & Show Your Home Some Love

No big deal, just more famous writers living in Richmond, doing their thing. Sherry and John Petersik are the real deal, and they’ve taken what was once a humble blog into a full on commercial enterprise. Everyone go buy their book so that they’ll be my new best friends!

$18.36

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No BS Brass — RVA All Day Vinyl

$25

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Boho Cycle Studio — Classes

Hey fatty fatty fat fat, how about you…no, that was mean, you look great. But if you did want to work a little more exercise into your life, definitely check out Boho Cycle Studio. Bring a friend! Nothing says friendship like shared sweat experience.

Price varies

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Register someone for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k

Speaking of sharing a sweat experience with your closest friends, how about sharing one with 40,000 people—most of them complete strangers! Honestly, I’m not sure how giving someone the responsibility of running several miles in a huge crowd of people goes over on Christmas morning, but I’m assured it’ll be fine.

$30

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Nectar — Mahalo

I own two pairs of Nectars, and they are both amazing. I wouldn’t hate it if someone out there decided to increase my collection by one.

$25

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Need Supply Co. — Richmond Market Bag

It’s a bag. It says “Richmond Virginia USA” on it. You can take it to the South of the James market. What more do you want, people?

$68

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VMFA — Membership

Membership has its privileges, as they say. Some of those privileges at the VMFA include free tickets to special exhibitions, free parking, and a discount at the VMFA Shop.

Starting at $60

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Richmond Ballet — The Nutcracker

HOLIDAY TRADITION ALERT. Don’t you dare miss the Richmond Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker, don’t you do it. This is Richmond, and we won’t abide with you screwing up our carefully planned and celebrated traditions. Buy some tickets, grab your family, and prepare to be amazed.

Starting at $20

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December 6, 2013 7:24 AM 4