5 Things

We’ve had a really great week of weather, haven’t we? Although it looks like it might cool down a smidgen, we still have a great weekend to look forward to. Being that this very well may be the last weekend for pleasant weather until…geez…March (!) I think it best we use this time to actually do stuff. Here’s 5 Things to get you started.

November 10, 2011; 6:00 AM • by Nathan Cushing

We all know what the big news of the week as been thus far…Google+ now has brand pages!! Huzzah! Eventhough Google+ kinda sucks, we at RVANews have decided to help Google out by joining the service. We will singlehandedly catapult the G+ into stardom—a dome of stars!

Now, if you go to our Google+, you’ll see the following video of our Chairman Brando demonstrating his card-throwing prowess. Now if that display of Gambit-like skill doesn’t get you randy for the weekend, perhaps these events will tickle your fancy!

1. Richmond Marathon

Running? That’s still a thing!?! Well, I guess so, as the annual Richmond Marathon has broken registration records with over 16,000 people expected to participate. Dang. If you’re like me (superfluously handsome), you enjoy the occasional jog, but a full marathon, heck, even a half marathon strikes you as a rather strenuous physical undertaking. So perhaps watching is better suited for our ilk.

And even if you’re planning to neither run nor watch, be sure to check out our street closure map so you don’t get stuck while you’re out and about this weekend.

Sat., Nov. 12 • 7am – 3pm
Here’s a chart of street closures
Free to spectate

2. Bollywood Night

While running is definitely a thing, there is perhaps no bigger thing than Bollywood. Not even joking, y’all. What’s awesome about Bollywood is that when done right, it’s unabashed fun and catchy song after catchy song. Speaking of which, here’s a song that I’ve listened to on repeat for…oh, about fifty times now (not even kididing!).

CousCous is having a Bollywood-centric Saturday night. If you want to have some bollylicious Bollywood fun, I highly recommend going.

Sat., Nov. 12 • 10:30pm
CousCous, 900 W. Franklin St.
FREE

3. VCU Alternative Eats Tour

“Food: it doesn’t suck!” That’s my new motto that I wrote all by myself (screw you, Martin Agency). Not only does food not suck, but the food around the VCU/Fan area most definitely does not suck either. Remember: it’s going to be nice this weekend, and if running a bajillian miles doesn’t whet your appetite, perhaps a leisurely stroll around the VCU area while you taste some of the best food from some of the best chefs will rev your engines. Tastes from the Cellar Door (the only restaurant on Monument Ave.), Ipanema, Belly Timber, the Magpie, among others will be dished out in rather delectable and delicious quantities.

Sat., Nov. 12 • 2pm
Meet at the Cellar Door, 1600 Monument Avenue
$39 (plus a ticketing fee)

4. “The Spirituality and Ethics of Occupation”

We’ve been hearing a lot lately about the Occupy movement, especially here in Richmond. And while people are wont to discuss how they feel about the protestors quite unabashedly, argumentative tit-for-tats don’t get to the heart of the matter. Associate Professor of Religious Studies at VCU, Dr. Mark Wood, will give a talk about the social, spiritual, and ethical meaning of Occupation. Seems really cool.

Sun, Nov. 13 • 1pm
First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1000 Blanton Ave.
FREE

5. The National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China

Based in Beijing, The National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China was the first national performing arts troupe established by the Chinese government in 1950. The company also has a school with over 150 acrobat performers and over 500 students of all ages. While having performed all over the world, 2011 was the first time that the company the company toured the United States. This stuff will be quite amazing live. Here’s a taste: