RVANews

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations starts today at O’Toole’s with an Irish Wake

Richard Hayes — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 15:00:16 +0000

Consider tonight a warm up for tomorrow's activities at our local Irish pub. Starting at 4 PM the Irish Wake will begin. There will be music from The Donny Brother, 19th Street Band, Greater Richmond Pipes and Drums the notorious/traditional coffin, green beers (don't drink this get a nice creamy Guinness instead), corned beef and more.

This is what Greater Richmond Pipes & Drums Facebook has to say about the tradition:

The Irish traditionally held a wake the day before St. Patrick's Day in defiance. At one point the protestant British had banned the celebration of all Catholic holidays, including St. Patrick's Day. So, in response, the Irish would hold a "wake" for a make believe dead person the day before in order to get away with having a St. Patrick's Day celebration.

The festivities really kick-off on Thursday though with more of the same but much, much more.

My recommendation is to grab a seat at the bar around 11 AM when it starts and sit back with a Guinness, listen to The Donny Broooks, 19th Street Band, Greater Richmond Pipes and Drums, The Press Gang, and Pugsy Mahone. As the day turns to night you'll see more neighbors than you can count and hear tales both absurd and tragic. If you have an aversion to crowds run away, run far away but if want to see a true St. Patrick's Day celebration and not a horde of youngsters drinking on the street this is the place to go.

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PHOTOS: The faces of Shamrock The Block 2016

Trevor Dickerson — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 13:15:00 +0000

Shamrock The Block kicks off the spring festival season this Saturday

Trevor Dickerson — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 14:00:43 +0000

Shamrock The Block, the first major street festival of the year, returns to the Boulevard this Saturday, March 12th. North Boulevard will be shut down for the festivities between West Broad and West Leigh Streets, and food vendors from the neighboring Scott's Addition neighborhood and beyond will be on hand.

Beer from neighborhood breweries and beyond will be available for purchase from several trucks as well.

Live music opens the festival at 11:00 AM with Baldy McGregor, followed by Cabin Creek, Footwerk, La Unica, and finally The Barons to close the day out at 4:00 PM.

There will be a kids' area (the Boulevard iteration of the festival is much more family-friendly than the previous location in Shockoe Bottom) with face-painting, moonwalks and other inflatables, games, and more. Leashed pets are welcome.

The festival kicks off at 11:00 AM and runs through 5:00 PM.

To learn more, visit the event website.

The First Annual Shockoe Bottom ‘Blarney Bash’ with beer, music, food and more

Richard Hayes — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 16:53:19 +0000

From Facebook:

Spring time is almost upon us, and the best way to kick it off is in the Bottom at the 1st Annual Shockoe Bottom 'Blarney Bash' on Saturday, March 12th, at the 17th Street Farmer's Market!
(Rain date Sunday, March 13th!)
Join us for a fun-filled day steeped in Irish tradition within a family-friendly, neighborhood setting! The fun gets tapped at 11 AM and the festivities go until 5 PM.
We'll have live music, including performances by 'The Sutor Brothers', 'Cary Street Ramblers' and 'Roper & Furley'; also live Irish Dancing performances by The Baffa Academy of Irish Dance; and we'll have performances by The Metro Richmond Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums! We'll be crowning a 'Mr. and Miss St. Patrick's Day'! And rumor has it - there may be an eating contest of some kind! How many Bangers and Mashed can you eat in 5 minutes?
And its fun for the whole family! We'll have plenty of activities for the kids, including face painting and a free Bouncy House to risk life and limb in!
There will be tons of local dining and 'adult beverage' options as well - we'll have catering at the festival provided by The Halligan Bar and Grill, Rare Old Times and many other delicious neighborhood favorites! There's also many fabulous restaurants, pubs and bars in the neighborhood waiting to serve you both during the festival and afterwards such as Havana '59, Rosie Connolly's, Lulu's, On The Rox, Station 2, River City Diner, Sweet Teas, Luncheonette, Margarita's, McCormack's Irish Pub, The Halligan Bar, La Bamba, Fallout and so many more!
So join us for a grand old time! The name may be new, but the tradition still stands all these years later - - when you think Irish Festivals in RVA, the best spot to be is the 17th Street Market!

Choose your own luck-filled adventure: Celebrating St. Paddy’s Day in RVA

Trevor Dickerson — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 14:32:50 +0000

Richmonders love a good festival. And from early spring to late fall, there's truly no shortage of them--at least one just about every weekend, in fact. We're also a town that isn't shy about our collective weekend drinking habits--as evident by taking a casual stroll down Main Street past all the bars in the Fan any given Sunday morning.

What happens when you put these two things together--an outdoor festival and a holiday that's pretty much synonymous with drinking? You get a full roster of events all over town, that's what.

This weekend, there are more St. Patrick's Day-themed festivals than you can shake a shillelagh at. Whether you're looking for a casual family-friendly event with things to keep the kids busy or looking to get down with the masses for an all out street party, there's pretty much something for every crowd. Let's take a gander, shall we?

I'm here to party, man!

Alright, cool. You're in luck, because you have several street festivals to choose from, with food, fun, and frothy beer-a-plenty. But what level do you want to take this thing to? Honestly, the two street festivals compete with one another (we'll get to that in a second), but neither one had a shortage of attendance last year.

Shamrock The Block

This year will mark Shamrock The Block's second year on the Boulevard. The event, put on by local event promoter Three One One Productions, moved to the Scott's Addition area in 2014 from Shockoe Bottom, where it had been hosted for years.

Last year, over 20,000 people descended upon the Boulevard to enjoy craft beer, live music, food vendors, and general camaraderie. This one's definitely a party, and the volume has been cranked up just a bit this year with the addition of additional beer lines and extra volunteers, which should alleviate some of the long lines attendees experienced last year.

All that said, Shamrock The Block also features a kids' area with face painting, inflatables, and games to keep all your little leprechans entertained. Last year, the crowd was pretty tame and relatively family friendly, so don't hesitate to bring them along.

Live music this year includes Dirty Bangs, These Wild Plains, Jackson Ward, and The Kairos Effect.

The festival's last year in Shockoe Bottom was 2013. During the event that year, some over-served partygoers started a street brawl that went viral on YouTube. It may not necessarily be the reason the event was moved the following year, and it's important to note that only five citations were issued during the entire festival (which is somewhat impressive considering how many thousands of people attended the event). You handle your booze pretty well, Richmond.

Shamrock the block kicks off Saturday, March 14th and runs from 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM on the Boulevard, from West Broad Street to Leigh Street. Leashed pets are welcome, and the party's on rain or shine. Free street parking and parking lots surround the event area. Get more info here.

STREET CLOSURE MAP:

Shockoe Fest

Following Shamrock The Block's move up the hill to the Boulevard, a group of folks with a vested interest in Shockoe Bottom--mainly local restaurant and business owners--banded together last year to create Shockoe Fest.

With beefed up security, a focus on being more family friendly, and other changes, Shockoe Fest saw much success its inaugural year.

With far more bars and restaurants, and the general party atmosphere Shockoe Bottom is known for (if we're honest with ourselves), this one's probably still the place to go if you're looking to really get "turnt up."

This year, organizers promise an even bigger and better party, taking over both 17th and 18th Streets in near the 17th Street Farmers Market.

The event features lots of food vendors, two stages with live music and dancing, craft beer trucks, and even an Irish coffee tent.

Live music and dance on the 18th Street stage will include Pipes & Drums by The Metro Richmond Police Emerald Society, Bucket, Southern Academy of Irish Dance, Jimmy Catlett Group, Roper & Furley, and RPG.

At the smaller stage on 17th Street, you can catch performances from, Patchwork, The Sutor Brothers, Hearts of Ireland, and Ceili Dancing by Southern Academy of Irish Dance.

The event also includes a kids play area with activities to keep the little ones happy.

Shockoe Fest gets going Saturday, March 14th at 11:00 AM and runs through 5:00 PM on 17th and 17th Streets in Shockoe Bottom. It's rain or shine, free street and paid lot parking is available nearby, and free transportation is available via The Hop, a local bus-based shuttle service. Learn more here.

STREET CLOSURE MAP:

Let's keep things pg, okay?

OK, I get it. Both of the street festivals have a kids area and activities galore, but maybe you're in a different place in life than me and not into the sea of people, amount of drinking, or heck, you live in the suburbs and don't want to venture into the city. That's all fine and dandy, and there's something for y'all!

St. Paddy's Palooza

St. Paddy's Palooza has become a tradition in the West End and takes place at the Innsbrook Pavilion in Glen Allen. While more than 10,000 people came out last year, the vibe is a bit different and very family friendly.

The event will feature live music, bands, food, ice cream, Irish dancers, pony rides and a hot air balloon--something for every member of the family, really (we know you want to take a pony ride too, Dad).

Other activities for your wee lads and lasses include face painting, several photo booths, a petting zoo, inflatables such as a moonwalk and other things to bounce around in, and even airbrush tattoos.

Up on the main stage, acts such as the Cary Street Ramblers, Flat Elvis, members of Honky Tonk Heroes, Thistle and Shamrock Irish dancing, and Crossroads Irish Dance Troupe will entertain festival goers.

Food vendors from the Innsbrook area including The Grapevine, Sticks, Gregory’s Grill, Joey’s Hot Dogs, and The Paris Creperie will be dishing up the goods all day.

Perhaps the coolest thing about St. Paddy's Palooza, though, is its benefactor. The entire event benefits the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which exists to support the fight against childhood cancer. You can sign up to have your head shaved, on stage, to raise money for the foundation, if you're so brave.

St. Paddy's Palooza is taking place Sunday, March 15th (moved from Saturday due to the threat of inclement weather) from 11:00 AM - 5:oo PM at the Innsbrook Pavilion, located at 4901 Lake Brook Drive, off Nuckols Road in the Innsbrook Corporate Center. Get more info here.

— ∮∮∮ —

Whatever your style, whether you're out to get a wee bit Shamrock'd or just enjoy some Irish fun out with the family, you're in luck--one of these fun outdoor events is sure to fit the bill.

RAIN DATE: Innsbrook’s St. Paddy’s Palooza moved to Sunday

Trevor Dickerson — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 13:15:19 +0000

A popular Innsbrook event celebrating St. Patrick's Day has moved to this Sunday due to the threat of inclement weather.

St. Paddy's Palooza, which takes place each year at the Innsbrook Pavilion, will be held from 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM on Sunday, March 15th.

Festival goers will be treated to live music, bands, food, ice cream, Irish dancers, pony rides and a hot air balloon. Attendance exceeded over 10,000 people in 2014.

A bit more family oriented than some of the other St. Patrick's Day festivals around town, the event will also feature face painting, photo booths, a petting zoo, inflatables, and airbrush tattoos.

Live entertainment will be provided by the Cary Street Ramblers, Flat Elvis, members of Honky Tonk Heroes, Thistle and Shamrock Irish dancing, and Crossroads Irish Dance Troupe.

Food vendors from the Innsbrook area such as The Grapevine, Sticks, Gregory's Grill, Joey's Hot Dogs, and The Paris Creperie will be serving up food all day.

And as always, participants can sign up to have their heads shaved on stage in support of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Spectators can donate and watch as individuals fundraise to support the fight against childhood cancer.

The Innsbrook Pavilion is located at 4901 Lake Brook Drive, off Nuckols Road in Glen Allen.

For more information or to volunteer, visit Innsbrook's website.

Shamrock The Block set to rock the Boulevard again Saturday

Trevor Dickerson — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 13:10:34 +0000

Shamrock The Block is back on the Boulevard this Saturday. Now in its second year, the popular St. Patricks Day festival is returning to the Scott's Addition area.

With attendance rates just above 20,000 in its first year, organizers expect an even bigger turnout for 2015.

Based on last year's feedback and success on the Boulevard, Shamrock The Block will feature expanded boundries, more beer trucks, and free parking at the Diamond, more food, and a larger area closed off to traffic.

"We are just thrilled that this worked out," said Micki Long with event organizer Three One One Productions. "The Scott’s Addition Business Association is embracing the event and we feel this area of Boulevard is a thriving part of the Richmond landscape. This is a great home for us as Shamrock continues to grow and is the next evolution for the event."

Proceeds from the event will benefit Project Local, a Richmond based non-profit that supplies grants and marketing to smaller, local non-profits.

Road closures:

Photo: Shamrock The Block

Shockoe Fest schedule

Richard Hayes — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 14:10:42 +0000

The festival that won't be named might have moved to a new location but that doesn't mean nothing is going in Shockoe. Quite to the contrary not only is it the debut of a brand new festival but every bar I know of is running specials and many have live music.

I'm not saying you're going to drink too much but if your buddy partakes of a Guinness too many throw him or her in a cab.

Shockoe Fest is Saturday, March 15, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM

The 17^th Street Farmers’ Market is the main location with activities and food along 17^th Street from Main Street to Grace Street and along the full stretch of Franklin Street, from Ambler Street to 18^thStreet.

EVENT LINE-UP

11am – Exebelle & The Rusted Cavalcade
11:45am – Jimmy Catlett Group
12:30pm – Metro Richmond Police Emerald Society Pipes & Drums
1pm - Muggivan School of Irish Dance Performance
1:30pm – Bucket
2:15pm – Lucky Stiffs
2:40pm - Muggivan School of Irish Dance Performance
3pm – Matt Conner
3:45pm - Metro Richmond Police Emerald Society Pipes & Drums

Children’s Area

2 moon bounces
Face painting
Hands-on children’s activities

Food

Nadar’s Bistro
Virginia Concessions
Halligan’s
Society Restaurant
Soul Ice

Beers

Harp Lager
Guinness
Smithwick’s Irish Ale
Miller Lite

(Editors note: Bummer they couldn't get some local stouts or porters on that list.)

Richmond taxi and limo services

Nathan Cushing — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 12:28:13 +0000

Heading out for a night on the town? Don't risk a DUI or contend with a lack of parking. Here's a list of local taxi and limo services in town you can use.

And if you're in Carytown, The Fan, or Shockoe Bottom, Spoken 4 will provide pedicab rides. It's $5 per person for every 10 minutes.

— ∮∮∮ —

Cabs

City Taxi • 804.767.2910
Deb's Taxi Service • 804.439.2232
Gentleman Taxi • 804.839.8400
Napoleon Taxi • 804.354.8294
One Brother Taxi • 804.216.7668
Richmond Taxi • 804.439.0009
Richmond Metro Taxi • 804.977.0933
Royal Cab • 804.354.1900
Veterans Cab • 804.275.5542
Yellow Cab Service • 804.222.7300

Cars & Limos

Celebrities International

804.674.5466

Down Under Limousine

804.784.4024

First Class Limo

804.422.5466

James Limousine

804.273.1540

Love Limousine

800.5466.499

Richmond Limousine

804.266.2800

Richmond VIP Limo

804.621.7222

TNT Limousine

804.965.0990

Winn Transportation

804.358.9466

photo by Eli Christman

Shamrock the Block debuts in new digs

Nathan Cushing — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 11:30:08 +0000

The people behind Shamrock the Block thought about abandoning the annual festival last year.

"No event organizer wants to take those calls asking about controversy, or wants to get beat up by the press for weeks on end," said Mike Murphy of Three One One Productions, organizers of the event, in an email to RVANews. That controversy came from complaints of overcrowding at its 17th Street Farmers Market venue and tussles between Richmond Police and drunken attendees.

"There were days when we thought, 'This is stupid...why do we keep doing this to ourselves?'" Murphy said about the fallout. "And just when you reach the conclusion it's over, someone on Facebook sends a message that they had the best time ever, or they found a new band that day they loved...That's why you keep trudging and deal with the politics, the challenges, and some people that just don't get it."

It seems that most people do get Shamrock the Block. It was started by Y101 in 2003, abandoned in 2004, and then reanimated in 2005 when Three One One took over the event.

"It was about gathering, promoting the businesses in Shockoe Bottom and being a 'less authentic' version of the traditional Irish festivals around the country," Murphy said, describing Shamrock the Block's intentions. "It also was a great vehicle for local bands to get exposure."

Performers

Sunbox
Jackson Ward Band
Redneck Pool Party
The Southern Belles
Teaze
Black Girls

It also is a great way to drink in the streets, an allure Murphy said is a key appeal. "I've said this before, there's something about drinking a beer in the street that makes people happy," Murphy said. It makes a lot of people happy, like over 20,000 annual attendees kind of happy. He said Shamrock the Block is the best Richmond event to people watch "hands down."

People watching should be easier this year when the festival debuts on N. Boulevard. "The Boulevard offers Shamrock the Block much wider streets, a larger footprint, better parking, more accessibility to foot traffic from the Fan neighborhoods and emergency vehicle access," Murphy said.

Over 80 vendors and an estimated 35,000 attendees will pack into a five-block span between W. Moore (near Movieland) to Broad streets. Parking is available on side streets in Scott's Addition, Carytown, and the Museum District. The Diamond will also have parking in the afternoon, as will local businesses.

"Everyone has been really positive, supportive, and embracing of the event, its future and how the area will be impacted," Murphy said about the Scott's Addition Business Association and other local businesses. "We as an event are very excited and look forward to many years at our new home."

In addition to offering parking at The Diamond, the Flying Squirrels will offer a kid section called McNuttysville with bounces, pitching games, corn hole, face painting, and more. Adult competitors can look forward to the return of the popular mechanical bull. Proceeds from the event will go toward local charities FETCH A Cure and Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN). Murphy said that Shamrock the Block has raised over $250,000 for charitable organizations throughout its life.

While its location has changed, organizers of Shamrock the Block still want the spirit of the event to endure. "Our intent is and has always been to be the first outdoor festival of the season where people can grab a beer, a bite, and get out of the house for a Saturday afternoon," Murphy said.

"If I could sum it up in one sentence, we just want to [be known as] 'The event where everyone can have a great time, be seen, make friends, and walk away with a bunch of cool selfies.'"

Take those selfies at Shamrock the Block, at its new location, on Saturday, March 15th from 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

photo by Erin Soorenko

The community behind the Church Hill Irish Festival

Nathan Cushing — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:36:49 +0000

One of Elsie Crow's children would pick her up from the Westport Nursing Home to drive her and her wheelchair into Church Hill where Elsie would peel potatoes and cut vegetables with other volunteers at the Church Hill Irish Festival.

"She was really church-oriented," said her son, Bill Crow. "She just loved St. Patrick's to death."

A longtime parishioner at St. Patrick's Catholic Church on 213 N. 25th Street, Elsie volunteered for the Irish Festival when it began in 1985 as a fundraising event for church she loved. Even when confined to a wheelchair for the last seven years of her life, she was there peeling and cooking thousands of potatoes for Irish Festival attendees. This year, organizers of the 29th annual Irish Festival will dedicate the event to Elsie, who died last July.

But Elsie is just one of the countless people that've made the Irish Festival into what it is. Much of what it is is what it's not. It's not filled with green plastic hats, green beer, leprechauns, and other St. Paddy's kitsch. It's a city-wide festival with a community flare, said event organizer Stokes McCune.

"It's either all members of the parish, or friends and family members of the parish, or neighbors from Church Hill" who volunteer to put on the festival, McCune said. "To me, that's the beauty of it."

— ∮∮∮ —

St. Patrick's Church was in financial straits in the mid 1980s. Its community services, programs, and outreach had nearly exhausted church funds. Parishioners created the Church Hill Irish Festival in 1985 to raise money for the ailing church.

Having now grown to four blocks in size, the first festival was just one block long. "It was a small festival, but it was well-attended," McCune¹ said. With the help of the festival, St. Patrick's finances rebounded. "The church has been able to pay off all that [old] debt and is good shape."

McCune took over organizational duties for the festival in the mid 1990s. It's since expanded its fundraising focus to include several other Church Hill organizations and groups.

In 2006, the festival was designated 501(c)3 status and has since donated over $400,000 to local groups and organizations like St. Baldrick's Society, Church Hill Crime Watch, St. John's Church, St. Peter's Meals Program, and more.

Bill Crow, who graduated from the church's now defunct high school in 1967, said the people of St. Patrick's are bound among a strong community. "It's a fellowship," Crow said. "They're...dedicated to each other."

That dedication has made the Church Hill Irish Festival one of Richmond's premiere festivals. And also one of the most authentically Irish.

"We have a lot of folks from Ireland come and help us with the festival," McCure said. Guinness once sent representatives to teach beer servers how to properly pour a pint. The beer maker is one of only a few national and local vendors with the right heritage to participate. "We turn away a lot of vendors that are not Irish or [don't have a] Celtic background," McCune said.

As in previous years, attendees to this year's Church Hill Irish Festival (March 22nd - 23rd) can feast on an Irish lasagna, made of corn beef, cabbage, onions, and more. "People love it," McCune said. "They stand in line for it." Poe's Pub will provide corn beef sliders, and West End pub Rare Olde Times will also sell food. Fish and chips, chicken, hotdogs, hamburgers, and more will also be available. "We have something for everybody," McCune said.

Malachy McCourt, the brother of Frank McCourt, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Angela's Ashes, will be in attendance and serve as the Grand Marshall for the festival parade on March 22nd at 10:00 AM. McCourt is appearing on behalf of the McShin Foundation, a Virginia-based recovery resource for alcoholics. McShin has has organized Sober St. Patrick's Day, a special section at the festival wherein people can socialize without the presence of alcohol, and where McCourt will discuss his own alcoholism recovery.

In addition to the food and beer, music is instrumental to the festival. "Musicians and bands all play for free," McCune said. "They all do it out of the goodness of their hearts." Several of those musicians will be harpists competing against one another inside St. Patrick's on March 22nd at 1:00 PM. Saturday's lineup also features pipe bands and Irish dance.

The second day of the festival, Sunday the 23rd, begins with the Hill Topper 5k, which benefits various Church Hill organizations. Later performances in the day will also include Irish drums, dance, and pipes. A $5 donation will be collected on each day.

McCune hopes the festival increases its attendance number over last year's. "We would love to get 25,000 - 30,000 over the weekend," he said.

Regardless of total attendance, everyone that does come out can expect a good time, says Bill Crow.

"It's a good, big-time block party," he said. "People just having fun all over the place."

The Church Hill Irish Festival runs Saturday, March 22nd to Sunday, March 23rd at Broad and 25th streets.

Photos of the 2013 Church Hill Irish Festival; Austen Hill

He estimates that his wife's family has been attending St. Patrick's since the 1860s. ↩

photo courtesy of the Church Hill Irish Festival

Good times ahead for Rare Olde Times

Nathan Cushing — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:00:19 +0000

Who: Owner Cindy Jennings, managers Robert Mercurio and Michele Gomes, and chef Connor Cleary.
What: An Irish pub with actual Irish ownership and staff.
Where: 10602 Patterson Avenue in the West End.
When: Opened in 1994. New menu with Irish cuisine debuts later this month.
Dishes: New favorite is the Irish Breakfast: Two eggs, two sausages, tomato, black pudding (pork blood and oats mixed together in a roll, sliced up) and white pudding (rendered fat and oats in a roll, also sliced).

— ∮∮∮ —

"There are a lot of fake Irish pubs," said Connor "Con" Cleary while sitting inside Rare Olde Times. "This," he said, eyes dancing around the West End pub, "is the real deal."

Cleary knows the real deal because he is the real deal. Hailing from Kildysart in Ireland's County Clare, Cleary is the new Irish chef at one of the only real Irish pubs in Richmond.

Years before landing in RVA, Cleary uprooted from County Clare to attend a two-year culinary school program in Galway City. Following that, he amassed six years of cooking experience. He's 25 year-old.

When asked why he moved to the US, Cleary said: "I wanted to expand my cheffing knowledge. I wanted to try something new."

"New" is an interesting word to associate with a place called Rare Olde Times, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.¹ But you learn that the restaurant's eyes are fixed on the future and its approaching Golden Age.

At least general manager Robert Mercurio thinks so.

"We may have just arrived at the beginning of what we can do," Mercurio said. And much of what Rare Olde Times will do in the coming years builds on what Rare Olde Times has already done.

— ∮∮∮ —

Rare Olde Times opened in 1994 under the name Loose Ties. Its founder, Andy Jennings, grew up in Dublin. He adored music, and hauled that adoration in his suitcase when he moved to the US. "He really felt music," Mercurio said. A guitarist and banjoist, singing was how Jennings' stood out. "Singing was his number one craft."

Jennings and his wife, Cindy, became a performance duo in 1982, playing pubs and events across Richmond² and the East Coast. Over ensuing years, the duo built a strong local following. "He thought it was the next logical move to have his own performance venue," Mercurio said. So he built a stage inside Loose Tie's main dining room to make that venue.

A year after opening, Jennings rechristened Loose Ties to Rare Olde Times, a nod to the song "Dublin in the Rare Old Times," his father's favorite song.

Rare Olde Times' Irishness wasn't predicated solely on Jennings pedigree. "He had some Irish buddies from around town that came and worked for him," Mercurio said. Currently, five staff members at Rare Olde Times were born in Ireland.

In the early days, the menu served a single purpose: keep audiences full while they watched the live music. "There was no item over $5.99," Mercurio said. "It was good, affordable food...but the entertainment was the focus by far."

The entertainment wasn't limited to the musicians. "Even the waiters and bartenders -- and to this day -- were expected to be entertainers to some level," Mercurio said.

How? By having a special way about them.

"We had a waitress here named Diana," he said. "She was famous for serving people the wrong food, and telling them that's what they wanted anyway...'No you gotta try that. You really wanted that in the first place.'"

"It was a niche. It was a kind of irreverence that people enjoyed," he said. "Most of us still have that kind of banter with our regulars." It's one way the restaurant seems so close knit. "This is really, truly, a family place.

That family lost its biggest member when Andy Jennings died in May 2012. His wife, Cindy, has since kept Rare Olde Times open. She's even managed to perform without her longtime musical partner.

"She's been absolutely brave and amazing through all this, and she's the one who's kept it going," Mercurio said. "It's still in the family, so it's important to keep Andy's vision the same."

But that vision is in the midst of a renaissance, one that just might put Rare Olde Times in the same league as some of Richmond's most exciting restaurants.

— ∮∮∮ —

Mercurio is one of the people shepherding the restaurant into its Golden Age. He served as the restaurants GM from 2006 - 2008, returning to help the restaurant following Jennings death in 2012. A spate of on-again, off-again returns ended with him returning to manage the restaurant full-time late last year.

Since then, Mercurio has enlisted Con Cleary to help design an authentic Irish menu that's scheduled to debut later this month. "We really want to be a place where you can get true Irish cuisine," Mercurio said. "[To] make this place a food destination, in addition to always being a great place to gather and have drinks."

Con Cleary said three things characterize good Irish cuisine: simplicity, locality, and freshness. "It's definitely not complicated," he said about traditional Irish fare. "You have your starch and your meat on every dish, pretty much." Dishes are best kept simple. Don't supplement the dish with too many add-ons that only "overpower" and "take over the whole dish."

Deliberately simple dishes (Irish and otherwise) rely on quality ingredients, ingredients almost always at their best when they're locally sourced. "When I worked in Galway City, all the seafood came from two doors down," Cleary said. While an impossible aspiration for the West End restaurant, it underscores Cleary's experience and preference for locally sourced items. He and Mercurio are now working to establish relationships with area farmers to supply Rare Olde Times ingredients.

Those ingredients will of course go toward the restaurant's lunch and dinner menu items, but also to its brunch, which the restaurant recently added.

One of the dishes that excites Cleary and Mercurio the most is the Irish Breakfast. "It's a fry-up,³ pretty much," Cleary said. "There's two sausages, two Irish back bacon, which is different from the bacon you have here."⁴ The full breakfast also comes with black pudding (pork blood and oats mixed together in a roll, sliced up) and white pudding (rendered fat and oats in a roll, also sliced), eggs, and tomato.

Mercurio said the dish isn't a watered-down version of the Irish staple. "We don't want to serve [customers] an Americanized version of it," he said. "We want to serve them a quality breakfast that would be a quality breakfast in Ireland."

Rare Olde Times has always been big on entertainment. "Our concept is entertainment all the way around," Mercurio said. "Food needs to be entertaining and lively [too]."

Mercurio will soon turn his attentions to revamping the restaurant's drink menu, which he plans to bolster by bringing in a variety of Irish whiskies and other liquors.

A mix of unique entertainment, food, and drink makes the GM excited about Rare Olde Times place among Richmond's best restaurants. "We want to be among them," he said. "We want to be one of those places...that you can go, have a nice meal and not blowout your wallet, and just walk away wowed."

Like a true Irish pub, Rare Olde Times will price their offerings to appeal to all people. "We're not going to raise the prices just because we have an Irish chef," Mercurio said. "We're going to raise our volume because we have great food." He thinks that great food will go a long way to giving Rare Olde Times customers a taste of the new and unique. "It's important that this isn't just a shrine, that we have a stellar past that everyone can remember," he said. "But we also have an amazing future to come."

Con Cleary thinks the West End pub gives Richmond a special place to eat and drink. "I've been to a lot of different bars...and it's like, everybody is glued to their phone or the TV," he said.

But Rare Olde Times isn't like that. "Here you can sit up at the bar and talk to anybody--talk to the barman, talk to who's beside you. Have a good conversation, you know?"

"I like that about [this place]," he said. "It feels like home."

Rare Olde Times is located at 10602 Patterson Avenue. Local band Uisce Beatha, which has played Rare Olde Times for 17 years, will have its last performance on March 20th.

Which also raised money for Full Circle, a local grief support nonprofit. ↩
They were regulars at the Church Hill Irish Festival. ↩
A full breakfast. ↩
Back bacon is typically leaner than American bacon. ↩

USBG brings camaraderie and credibility

Stephanie Ganz — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 10:00:09 +0000

Being a bartender is about more than crafting cocktails; it's about creating relationships. A bartender only attains hero status when he or she connects with customers in a meaningful way. But for a career based on building relationships, being a bartender, bar manager or owner can be an isolating lifestyle. The hours, egos, and demands of the industry create distance between the people who have the most in common, and coming together for a shared purpose can be a challenge.

Mattias Hägglund, co-owner and bartender at Heritage, wants to see that change in Richmond, as do many of his peers. He's working to establish a Richmond chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild, an organization he first encountered while working at elements in Princeton, New Jersey. Shortly after returning to Virginia, the USBG contacted Mattias: "They essentially said, 'You were a member of our New York chapter and have experience with this, would you like to help us get a Virginia chapter going?'" Mattias recalled that, during his time in New Jersey, he would make the three-hour drive into the city several times a month to learn with and about his peers, and the experience was a pivotal one for him.

Tyler Hudgens wants to share the same experience with her colleagues in Charlottesville, where she's Commonwealth Skybar's principal bartender, among other roles. Prior to opening his own place in DC, Tyler's predecessor Nick Crutchfield had been integral in moving the Virginia USBG chapter forward. Currently 10,000 miles from her life and home in Charlottesville, Hudgens is consulting on a New Orleans-inspired bar in the Singapore dining destination Duxton Hill, but she was still eager to talk about the Bartenders Guild. For her, the Guild offers the opportunity to develop professionally and personally: "The USBG fosters integrity and camaraderie throughout our industry. It gives us tools and resources to learn and hone our craft...It really does a fantastic job of encouraging all of its members to be better bartenders and human beings."

Tyler and Mattias have spent the last two years working to bring the USBG to Virginia, having seen firsthand what the organization has to offer. Tyler credits the USBG publication Pulse with first enlightening her to the opportunities for accreditation through BarSmart and BAR. The USBG website states, "We believe tending & owning bars is an honorable career choice. Our goal is to empower bartenders to take charge of their careers." Mattias describes the enthusiasm with which Tyler, who will head the chapter once it's officially approved, has lead the charge in the region, saying, "She has been just an animal, driving back and forth between Richmond and Charlottesville, all over both cities, getting signatures and compiling vast amounts of information. She did an amazing amount of work." Tyler sets the scene: "I showed up and they had no idea who I was. I was this ditzy-looking blonde girl shoving papers in their face and telling them that we had a sponsor to cover their first year of membership. All they had to do was try it out. It started slowly, but soon word spread. Now we're over 50 strong and we aren't even officially live yet."

The core values of USBG; service, integrity, sharing knowledge, tradition, and camaraderie; are what make it so attractive to the bartenders that have already signed on. Danny McDermott, bar manager at Acacia, explains that the appeal, to him, is about education: "People think there's not much to bartending; but when you get into it, it's like baking, like being in a kitchen. It's about trying to figure out what tastes go together, what techniques to use, what the histories behind the spirits are." Saison bar manager Justin Ayotte agrees: "Shared knowledge and collaboration are going to be key aspects on how we grow together in the bartending world. As bartenders we all have our strengths and weaknesses in both knowledge and service." Mattias expands on this idea, explaining, "As a bartender, you're only as good as what you've been able to taste...[The USBG] really enables and empowers people to grow and network and, in doing so, really help educate and better themselves."

Danny McDermott and craft cocktail enthusiasts like him would also love to see the guild give a collective voice to the region's bartenders. He and his colleagues represent a niche aspect of the market that Virginia ABC has historically overlooked in favor of bigger booze dollars. Ever wonder why there are so many flavored vodkas at the ABC store? They sell to a mass audience. But the bitters and tinctures that inspire bartenders like Danny are underrepresented in the market, due to outdated regulations and corporate pandering. He sees the potential for the guild to be "an advocate for more change in VA ABC...kind of like a union." Co-owner of Saison¹ Jay Bayer echoes that sentiment, elaborating, "With any luck it will also assist us in improving antiquated ABC laws that needlessly stifle creativity and prevent rad niche spirits from making an easier entry into the state for use as creative tools...in a similar fashion to what the Brewer's Guild was able to do for breweries."

"Here's the thing," Danny explains, "[The Bartender's Guild] is still in its nascent stage, but there are a lot of exciting things that are going to happen in the future." He pauses and adds "Hopefully it will develop into a larger community...there's going to be a growing process to see how we all fit together." On her recent trips to Richmond, Tyler has seen small indications that the community is fitting together smoothly so far: "It's been a lot of fun to watch relationships grow between bars. I was helping TRG prep for it's media soft opening a few weeks ago, and we couldn't find any orange blossom water. So we called our friends over at Saison, and they let us scoop up a bottle...stuff like that...Just small friendly neighborhood gestures."

Mattias, who will be acting president until the newly-formed chapter can hold its own elections, is in the process of coordinating tastings and outings to explore both the region and the craft itself. "We've had a huge outpouring of support already from wineries, breweries, distilleries, these great companies that are all over VA, that would love to be able to share knowledge of their products with us." In addition to strengthening the local community, Jay Bayer hopes that the Richmond chapter of the USBG "will assist in continuing Richmond's ascent as a top destination for food and beverage on the national stage by endowing bartenders with established standards of technique."

Which has three guilded bartenders on staff as a result of their BarSmarts Advanced Live certifications, including Justin Ayotte (Co-beverage director,) Sara Kerfoot (Co-Beverage Director,) and Max Sayer. ↩

Sine’s 15th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Street Party

Richard Hayes — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 14:06:55 +0000

Live music schedule:

1:00 PM- The Flavor Project
4:00 PM- Lost Satellites
7:00 PM- Broken Monday
10:00 PM- Typecast

Virginia may have your money (and it wants to give it back to you)

Nathan Cushing — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:08:53 +0000

Update #1 -- March 15, 2013; 9:07 AM

If you haven’t heard of Unclaimed Property (see below), get on it. It's a large fund of money ($1.289 billion) comprising what individuals and businesses own, but don't know they own.

According to Vicki Bridgeman, Director of the Virginia Treasury Department's Division of Unclaimed Property, Virginians claimed nearly $38 million last year alone. However, $112.6 million of unclaimed money was deposited into the fund last year too.

Maybe it's a utility bill overpayment that you never received, or money from a forgotten bank account. No matter the reason, Unclaimed Properties keeps that unclaimed money for you. All you have to do is a quick, free online search to find out if you have any. This applies to all current and former Virginia residents (living and dead) and businesses.

Bridgeman said that an individual collected over $837,000, the largest amount given to a single person last year (one company discovered it owned $956,000).

Since 1961, Unclaimed Property has given back Virginians nearly $448 million. Yet, it retains a constant stockpile of unclaimed money, and the agency designates a certain percentage of it yearly to the state's Literary Fund. Last year, the division awarded the fund $75 million.

But Unclaimed Property would rather people receive those funds. Not only can you check if you have unclaimed money online, but Unclaimed Property regularly travels across the state to educate people about the fund and give unclaimed money back to its rightful owner.

— ∮∮∮ —

Original -- March 13, 2012

"It's very, very common to have unclaimed money," said Brooke Scott, PR and Marketing Specialist at the Virginia Department of the Treasury's Division of Unclaimed Property, a state agency that is in the business of giving away money. "It's a great program that not many people know about."

Simply put: Unclaimed Property collects funds that are entitled to individuals. The money is made up of forgotten bank account balances, insurance money never claimed, utility deposits, among other balances owed to individuals from various companies and institutions. Losing track of this missing money is actually easier than many might think. In fact, one-in-four Virginians have unclaimed money.

For instance, a utility company may owe you money from past overpayments, but can't reach you as they don't have your current address; a family member may have created a savings account in your name many years ago; or maybe you bought an insurance policy sometime between the 1930s-1960s.¹

Manju Ganeriwala, Treasurer of Virginia, recalls how she first heard of Unclaimed Property. After moving to Virginia roughly twenty-five years ago, she received a letter in the mail from the state of Ohio, where she previously resided, informing her that she had company stock in her name that she did not know about. Years later, Treasurer Ganeriwala said that the service is still relatively unknown by the public. "Not many people know about this function of state government," she said. Not only does Virginia provide this free service, but so does ever other state in the US. "It's a very positive thing that state governments do."

All banks are required by law to attempt contact with the account owner, even if it was a previous customer, should that owner be entitled to money. If no contact is made, that money then goes to the Virginia Treasury Department and the Unclaimed Property division which keeps the funds in the account holder's name. "Just because we can't find you doesn't mean [your] money is not yours," said Brooke Scott.

Not only does Unclaimed Property help individuals, but also organizations. On February 17th, Unclaimed Property was featured on a Good Morning, America segment. The occasion was to give the Lynchburg Transit Employee Benefit Association a $50,000 certificate of deposit that had been theretofore lost to the association. The final value of the certificate totaled over $84,000.

Since 1961, Unclaimed Property has collected over $1.5 billion, and has given back over $400 million to the rightful owners (or heirs) of unclaimed money. A "non-general fund" organization (i.e. it relies on self-generated income and not tax dollars to operate), Unclaimed Property apportions a certain percentage of unclaimed money that remains unclaimed to the state's Literary Fund. The Literary Fund uses available financial resources for school construction and renovation, as well as teacher retirement funds. While many may find it difficult to call the Literary Fund undeserving of financial support, Scott said that she and Unclaimed Property would prefer to reacquaint more Virginians with their lost money. "We would love to give it back to them."

To encourage this, Unclaimed Property has redesigned their website (disclaimer: Unclaimed Properties is a client of RVANews's parent company) to make it easier for people to both find and collect lost money. Users create a username and enter information to identify themselves and any outstanding funds that they have yet to receive. Brooke Scott said that since December 2011, the online service has seen roughly 20,000 accounts created per month--all individuals and organizations looking to see if they have any extra money. While the program is there to benefit Virginians, not everyone is quick to search for lost money.

Treasurer Ganeriwala said that when people hear the term Unclaimed Property, real estate is what typically pops into their minds. Another drawback the division experiences comes when they set up tables at public events to advertise their service. "People are reluctant to come up because they think it's a scam," said Treasurer Ganeriwala. "A lot of people are skeptical when they see government," she said, saying that some believe it's a trap to catch individuals with outstanding taxes. Even though Treasurer Ganeriwala says that the service is neither a scam nor trap, "It's hard to overcome" people's skepticism.

However, with the recent exposure on Good Morning, America and through simple word of mouth, Treasurer Ganeriwala is confident that more people will learn about Unclaimed Property and their reservoir of missing money eager to be returned to its rightful owner. She told one story of a recent event in northern Virginia at which employers of Unclaimed Property were evangelizing the service. A woman approached and submitted her information. She discovered that she had roughly $26,500 left over from her deceased father's savings account, to whom she had been estranged for most of her life. "She was crying with tears of joy," said Treasurer Ganeriwala. She said that there are currently about 137,000 individual claims that amount to more than $1,000 each. However, the service has no claim amount minimum. Even claims with a value of less than $0.10 will be earmarked for the appropriate individual.

"At times like these people need every penny," said Brooke Scott. Treasurer Ganeriwala agrees: "In the current economy, people are having a hard time filling their gas tanks." She encourages all Virginians to take a few minutes and use the Unclaimed Properties database. "Just log on. It's simple."

— ∮∮∮ —

Footnotes

When these then-private institutions later became publicly-traded companies, their early policy holders became stock holders. As a result, their policy became a "very valuable asset," said Brooke, one many don't know about. ↩

Photo by: borman818

PHOTOS: A touch of green for St. Patrick’s Day

Erin Soorenko — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:02:24 +0000

Plenty of green around town as we approach St. Patrick's Day.

— ∮∮∮ —

A drink for St. Patrick’s Day: the Paddy O’ Kelly

RVANews staff — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:01:15 +0000

If anyone knows a good drink, it's Mattias Hägglund. He's the barkeep at Heritage, and has been mentioned in The New York Times, Art Culinaire, as well as featured on CNN's Eatocracy.

Over the years, the vantage point he's had from behind the bar has given him a unique look at the craft cocktail phenomenon.

While mixed drinks are nothing new, he said a modern resurgence began in the late 1980s, "when people started getting into higher grade spirits." Richmonders don't seem to be any different when it comes to appreciating craft cocktails.

"Richmond has a great scene that is thriving right now and getting better," Hägglund said.

For St. Patrick's Day, he recommends an egg-infused "flip,"¹ known to Heritage as the Paddy O' Kelly.². Hägglund said it's a "very rich, full-bodied drink" in the spirit of a hearty Irish stout.

Heritage's bar menu rotates monthly, so the drink is only available for a limited time.

— ∮∮∮ —

Paddy O' Kelly

Ingredients

1 egg
2 oz. • Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey
3/4 oz. • Demerara syrup
1/4 oz. • Cynar
Grated nutmeg

Instructions

Crack egg into mixer
Add whiskey,³ syrup, and Cynar.
Shake for about 7 seconds
Add one scoop of ice
Shake between 12 - 15 seconds
Pour through stainer, which removes ice chips
Grate fresh nutmeg over top

— ∮∮∮ —

Footnotes

A "flip" refers to a drink that's made by pouring ingredients back and forth between two containers. ↩
Honoring a close friend of the family and restaurant. ↩
High proof alcohol safeguards against salmonella in the egg. ↩

photos by Erin Soorenko

Favorites: Penny Lane’s shepherd’s pie

Daniel Warshaw — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:38:03 +0000

There will be leftovers.

Midway through your pint of bitter, when the cottage pie ($11.25) arrives at your table still bubbling and steaming, you’ll realize you could never finish the whole thing--even after a day’s fast. Penny Lane is a proper pub, and accordingly serves hearty pub fare. This variation on shepherd’s pie--it has beef instead of lamb--will fill you up with its layers of minced meat, carrots, peas, and mashed potatoes. And unless you share with friends, you’re covered for lunch and dinner tomorrow, too.

— ∮∮∮ —

Penny Lane Pub

421 E. Franklin Street
Monday - Saturday, 11:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Sunday, Hours vary, check site for details.
pennylanepub.com

— ∮∮∮ —

More of our favorites

The proper pints of Rosie Connolly’s

Nathan Cushing — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:25:39 +0000

Who: Tommy Goulding, a man with Irish blood and English heart.
What: A traditional, old-fashioned pub
Where: 1548 A E. Main Street, Shockoe
When: Opened 2005 in the aftermath of Gaston
Why: To give downtown RVA a pub like one you'd find in downtown Liverpool
Beer/Dishes: Staples like Guinness, Harp, and Smithwick's. Also popular mixes like Brown over Bitter (Newcastle and Fullers), Snake Bite (Lager and Cider), and Black & Tan (half Guinness/half Bass).
Entrées include: Lemon Pepper Salmon, Prime Rib, and Steak and Mushroom Pie (braised beef, onions, and mushrooms with a roasted garlic and red wine gravy, topped with a puff pastry and served with mashed potatoes).

— ∮∮∮ —

Many are quick to claim Irish ancestry around St. Patrick's Day. But Tommy Goulding, the 64-year-old owner and bartender of Rosie Connolly's pub in Shockoe, just might have everyone beat.

"I never thought I would call any other place home," Goulding said last week about Richmond between Guinness pours--shamrocks shaped in the head of each pint--during an afternoon funeral reception held at his pub.

Although both sets of his grandparents were Irish, Goulding himself was born and raised in Liverpool, England. As a young man in the late 1960s, he began working graveyard shifts at a nearby Ford manufacturing plant. He did that for 17 years.

In the late 1970s, Goulding's sister and brother-in-law emigrated to the US and opened Penny Lane Pub.¹ Back in Liverpool, Goulding was passably happy at Ford, but Britain's weak economy stymied any immediate possibilities for career growth.

"There were no jobs," Goulding said. "I was stuck where I was."

So in 1980, inspired by his sister's success in America, Goulding and his wife "filed papers" to emigrate across the pond. But bureaucracy is seldom quick, and years passed with no reply. Goulding and his wife began to forget their pending applications.

In 1985, still "Liverpudlians," Goulding and his wife agreed to purchase a cute house from a nice old lady down the road. After selling their own house ahead of the purchase, the Goulding's learned that the nice old lady had sold her house to someone else. With their old house sold, and no new house to move into, the Goulding's were virtually homeless.

Amid this crisis of homeownership, the couple received a surprising letter: their emigration papers, filed five years ago, had finally gone through.

The Goulding's moved to Richmond.

For the next 16 years, Goulding was the "night time guy" at his sister's Penny Lane Pub. During his time there, he drank through the night with Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, served English actor and singer Petula Clark, and chatted with members of Def Leopard and ZZ Top.

He also became friends with local restaurateur Michael Ripp, whom was planning to open Havana '59 in 1994 and wanted Goulding to manage the bar. Goulding declined, but the two remained friends.

Goulding did, however, come on board in 2003 when Ripp opened O'Brienstein's, a concept that fused a Jewish deli with an Irish pub.

"It just never worked," Goulding said about the combination, although the pub portion was popular. So when Ripp asked Goulding if he would take over the space altogether, Goulding agreed. The pair decided to sign the papers transferring the property to Goulding the week of August 30, 2004. The same week that a tropical storm would devastate Richmond.

Gaston

"Water went over the top of the roof," Goulding said, describing damage from Gaston's downpour--totaling 12.6" of rain.² Goulding kept his word nevertheless. He took over the space and spent nearly $30,000 to renovate it.

But after redoing the kitchen, upholstering the furniture, and everything else needed, Goulding was left with a final problem: what to name the pub?

He considered calling it the Yellow Submarine or Noah's Ark, but one night, he had an odd dream. It was about his mother, Rosie Connolly. He told his daughter about it, and the two decided they would be remiss in not taking it as a sign.

So, in March 2005, mere days before St. Patrick's Day, Rosie Connolly's opened its doors.

A bar is a place where you order drinks. But to Goulding, a pub "is an extension of your home...you're supposed to feel like family."

He described Rosie Connolly's as a "downtown London, downtown Liverpool, old-style type of pub." That doesn't suit everyone. Goulding said he still sees would-be patrons open Rosie's door, take one look inside, and decide to pass in the hopes of finding something a bit more Americanized. That doesn't bother the owner.

"I have the nicest customers, the nicest people that come in," Goulding said. Unsurprisingly, he claims to know nearly everyone for whom he pours a pint.

Those pints include favorites like Guinness, Harp, and Newcastle, to be sure. But they also include mixes like Pint of Gold (Fullers and Harp), Snake Bite (Lager and Cider), and Poor Man's Black Velvet (Guinness and Cider).

Complementing the beer is what Goulding simply calls "pub food," like fish and chips with beer battered Alaskan pollock served with seasoned fries, or beef in red wine with mushrooms over rice.

In celebration of this year's St. Patrick's Day, Rosie Connolly's will host a Weekend Street Party this Saturday and Sunday. Beginning 11:00 AM each day, the pub will feature a beer truck, live music, and outdoor food stations.

St. Patrick's Day is one of the busiest days for Rosie Connolly's and for Goulding. But throughout the year, Goulding spends several days each week arriving at the pub around 2:30 PM to clean and ready for the evening, staying until 3:00 AM. "I was always on the night shift at Ford. I guess it's in my blood," he said. Others his age (he'll turn 65 in May) have retirement in mind. Not Goulding.

"I'm not going to retire," he said, smiling.

But in the coming years, he anticipates he'll wind down his work weeks. "My plan is to hand [the pub] down to my daughter," he said. Until then, Goulding will continue to pour pints at Rosie Connolly's.

"I love doing what I'm doing," he said, smiling. "I love my work. I love my pub."

Rosie Connolly's is located at 1548 A E. Main Street, Shockoe.

— ∮∮∮ —

Footnotes

It was originally located on 7th Street before moving to its current location, 421 E. Franklin Street, in 2003. ↩
The highest rainfall total in Gaston's path. ↩

The greatest Irish drinking games

Pete Humes — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:09:20 +0000

St. Patrick's Day is always the right time to pull this classic piece out of the RVANews archive!

Original -- March 12, 2008

I’m no dummy. I know that people out there are excited about “getting their drink on” this weekend for the early St. Patrick’s Day celebration. And I also know that many of you so-called revelers are secretly sad inside.

Why? Because consuming alcohol can sometimes feel like a chore. Swallowing so much fluid gets to be real work. After a while, the boredom and stress begins to take its toll and the next thing you know, you’re sitting in a crowded bar full of happy people with a sad sack expression and a woe-is-me attitude.

Not this year. No sir. This year, your St. Patty’s day drunk routine is going to be anything but routine. I’ve scoured the internets for an authentic collection of Irish drinking games guaranteed to liven up your shameless shamrock celebrations.

Read up. Follow the rules. And knock a few back for me!

McNickels – This is much more than the Irish version of the popular “Quarters” game (where drunks try and bounce dirty coins into perfectly good glasses of alcohol). In this version, if you bounce your nickel into the glass you actually drink the nickel too. And in this case it pays to win, because if you hork it all up… you get enough change for another drink! Genius!

Fisty Kisses – Up to five people can play and the rules are real easy. Everyone applies a heavy coat of lipstick (men included) and drinks from a communal pitcher in a clockwise fashion. The last person to get the pitcher pretends to be angry and yells, “Hey! There’s lipstick on my glass! Who did this?!” The first person to laugh gets punched in the mouth. Socko!

Seamus Heaney Trivia – One person is designated “Quizzer,” the rest are “Quizzees.” There are twenty questions per round, twelve rounds per game. After the Quizzer has asked a question, the first Quizzee to consume an entire beer and then answer correctly wins another beer. Anyone who guesses incorrectly is designated an intellectual inferior and asked to leave. Anyone who professes ignorance of Seamus Heaney or his poetry is asked to leave. Anyone who pronounces his name “See-muss” is ridiculed… then asked to leave. In the event that only two players remain (Quizzer and Quizzee), a lightning round of Indian leg-wrestling will determine the winner. Complicated!

Bono O’ Bingo – This game is exactly like Bingo, except when you win, you yell “Bono!”… and take a drink. Lame!

Blarney Ball – Bring a green softball to your favorite drinking spot. Keep drinking until you have the courage to throw the ball at somebody. Head shots are worth 100 points. Bar mirrors are worth 1000 points. And off-duty police officers will get you 5000 points. Whoops!

The Belfast and The Furious – After drinking heavily, challenge someone to a one block “drag race” in the street. But instead of using a car, you race on foot. If you’re a man, you must borrow a pair of high heels. Action-packed! See Also: “Too Belfast, Too Furious” and “The Belfast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift.”

Shamrock Paper Scissors – Now that I think about it, this Irish variation of “Rock Paper Scissors” was invented by the IRA and is actually more of an interrogation technique than a drinking game. Sorry.

Leprechaun Lawn Bowling – This game is exactly like “Midget Bowling” except the designated little person is dressed in all green and you have to toss them on the grass. Instead of bowling pins, your goal is to knock over bird fountains, mail boxes and yard gnomes. The game is easy, but finding a midget may take some time. Using children instead is discouraged. Magically delicious!

Colin Farrell vs. Liam Neeson – Best played in the parking lot after last call. One player is Farrell, the other is Neeson. No eye gouging, groin shots or sharp objects. Accents must be utilized at all times. Last player conscious is the winner. Bloody hell!

Pot O’ Gold – This game is best played at home with several friends. At the beginning of the night, one of the house toilets is designated as a “Number One Only/Non Flush” toilet. Consume drinks as normal, celebrate and urinate frequently. At the stroke of midnight, the partygoers meet at an agreed upon location to vote on the most annoying person of the night. That person’s keys are thrown into the toilet. Hilarious!

Fobber Me Shupshaw! – The classic Irish nonsense game! Two players sit at a bar and take turns consuming alcoholic beverages. Once both have downed four apiece, they begin arguing about sports and politics. The arguments continue, growing more heated as the empty bottles pile up. By the tenth round, each is listening closely to the drunken babbling of the other because as soon as one utters the phrase, “Fobber Me Shupshaw,” he or she is forced to pick up the tab for the evening. In the event of a Vomit Forfeit or Blackout Foul, a tie is declared. Exciting!

Angela’s Ashes – Stay home and rent the movie “Angela’s Ashes.” Watch it with some close friends and a bottle of Irish whiskey. Every time a poor, hungry child cries, you drink. Angsty!

Disclaimer: These suggestions are in no way meant as encouragement for you to drink irresponsibly. Do what’s right. You know what’s right. Let’s not pretend otherwise. Do I have to say it? Are you going to make me say it? Really? Okay… Please Drink Responsibly. How embarrassing.

RVANews

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations starts today at O’Toole’s with an Irish Wake

PHOTOS: The faces of Shamrock The Block 2016

Shamrock The Block kicks off the spring festival season this Saturday

The First Annual Shockoe Bottom ‘Blarney Bash’ with beer, music, food and more

Choose your own luck-filled adventure: Celebrating St. Paddy’s Day in RVA

I'm here to party, man!

Shamrock The Block

Shockoe Fest

Let's keep things pg, okay?

St. Paddy's Palooza

RAIN DATE: Innsbrook’s St. Paddy’s Palooza moved to Sunday

Shamrock The Block set to rock the Boulevard again Saturday

Shockoe Fest schedule

Richmond taxi and limo services

Cabs

Cars & Limos

Shamrock the Block debuts in new digs

Performers

The community behind the Church Hill Irish Festival

Related

Good times ahead for Rare Olde Times

USBG brings camaraderie and credibility

Sine’s 15th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Street Party

Virginia may have your money (and it wants to give it back to you)

Footnotes

PHOTOS: A touch of green for St. Patrick’s Day

A drink for St. Patrick’s Day: the Paddy O’ Kelly

Paddy O' Kelly

Ingredients

Instructions

Footnotes

Favorites: Penny Lane’s shepherd’s pie

Penny Lane Pub

Related

The proper pints of Rosie Connolly’s

Gaston

Footnotes

The greatest Irish drinking games