inRich has a write-up on last night’s Grand Illumination and a slideshow with sound and photos. We walked from 18th Street over to the Illumination and back and marveled how on nights like this, with so many people out and about on foot, it feels like a different city.

The 1708 Gallery blog has a photo set from last month’s Wearable Art X fundraising fashion show at La Difference.

The first public hearing on the recently released updated Downtown Master Plan will be Monday, Dec.3rd at 6:30PM at the City Planning Commission meeting in the 5th floor conference room in City Hall. Backers of this vision of Richmond’s future are urging citizens to turn out to show their support for the plan.

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The developer of the long-controversial Echo Harbor project (210 luxury condos, restaurant, health club, stores and offices) has called the recently released Downtown Master Plan “inherently flawed”, upset that the document blocks out his land as most appropriate as a park. The city government sends mixed messages, with 4th District Councilwoman Kathy C. Graziano said that “I think it’s a nice plan, but we need to make sure when we approve it that we’re being realistic.” While acknowledging that the plan can not force a rezoning, Rachel Flynn, director of community development states that “These are our last opportunities to have parks right on the water for citizens”. [via]

Next October 10-12 will mark the inaugural Richmond Folk Festival, the new local offshoot of the successful National Folk Festival from the past 3 years. The musical line-up has yet to de determined. Sponsors including Dominion Resources Inc., Richmond Times-Dispatch, Genworth Financial, First Market Bank, Philip Morris USA, SunTrust, Ukrop’s, the City of Richmond and NewMarket Corp. have committed to help fund the Richmond Folk Festival, though more sponsors are being sought with expenses expected to run about $1.4 million. [via]

nbc12 is reporting that condo sales increased 40% last year in Richmond, specifically citing Vistas on the James as “a safe bet for developers”.

Style Weekly is reporting that a resolution may be close for the Mayo Island Billboard (”which stands more than 90 feet high and is out of compliance with zoning regulations”). A deal may be in the works which would trade the sign to the city for an electronic billboard on Interstate 95 at the Fifth Street exit.

New RVA satire blog Tobacco Avenue has the scoop in Tiki Bob’s Cantina move to “add Skee-Ball, guy in oversized mouse costume”. From the post:

“Bikini night is a lot of fun, like, I love bringing Cindy down here and she be shakin’ her thang an’ whatnot, know what I saying?” frequent Tiki’s customer Kyle Fredericks said of the bar’s revamping. The 21-year-old hails from Charles City County and is a self-employed chemist, mixing substances such as Vick’s nasal inhaler, drain cleaner and rubbing alcohol and selling his concoctions for $100 to $120 per gram, depending on market price. “Get my drink on, shorty, fuggin’, Soldier Boy ya’ heard.”

Style’s weekly restaurant roundup, Short Order, is reporting the incipient arrival of Urban Flats Flatbread Co. to the Canal Walk, upstairs from Highwater, at Toad’s Place.

Style’s Food Without Faces highlights some of the vegetarian-friendly options in town and gives props to Relish, describing is as “a stylish spot that caters to vegans, vegetarians and meat lovers alike with a constantly changing menu.”

Hundreds of fish died in Richmond’s Great Shiplock Park after the a canal was drained last week to to allow workers to perform maintenance on an upstream drainage pipe. “A few hundred” shad, carp, bass, catfish and sunfish died when trapped in a small pool that remained. [via]

Visible from interstates 64 and 95, the twin spotlights at Velvet beckon to the lonely traveller seeking a “$4 steak, potato, and lapdance lunch”.

The Shockoe Bottom Neighborhood Association is open to all neighbors: renters, owners, residents, employees, business owners, property owners, etc and happens every 3rd Monday at a different and virtually unknowable location.

Style Weekly’s Purveyors of Taste - The people Who shaped 25 years of Richmond dining is a look at the “Richmond’s most influential food professionals of the past 25 years” and profiles more than a few folks with local connections: Millie’s Paul Keevil, the Ripp family, Michael Hall, J.Frank, and Jimmy Sneed, and Jared Golden and Michelle Williams.

Changes at one of our sister sites had killed the neighborhood crime map for a few days there, but it’s all back now.

In today’s Doubts flow along river, Michael Martz of the RTD looks at some of the issues and confusion around development along the riverfront, including the location of the proposed marina, the potential costs of the city’s plans, the need for public access along the riverfront, and acquiring the land for that portion of the Capital Trail. Urban Richmond~ looks at the potentially competing plans and asks “Why not build them all?”:

There’s no reason that waterfront condos necessarily preclude parks, marinas, and public access to the river when planned and built well.

A man suspected in the robbery of the CVS Pharmacy at 25th and Main Streets last week has also been linked to the Dec.13 killing of Anna Callear-Kirby in Chesterfield and was found overdosed in a rooming house at 23rd and T Streets at about 4PM yesterday. Police report that the man may also have been responsible for a recent armed robbery and assault at a bank in Richmond. [via]

Hams for the homeless! A live musical theater presentation to benefit the Central VA Food Bank. @ Poe’s Pub. 9PM - until the fat lady (Dirt Woman) sings… Admission is a canned or cured ham or a $10 donation.

The Dec.20-22nd issue of the Richmond Free Press is reporting that Greyhound has decided to not move its bus station from North Boulevard to the little used Main Street Station, a decision which potentially “short-circuits the city’s efforts to turn the Shockoe Bottom station into a multi-modal transit operation”.

In an email to City Council urging them to support the Mayor’s plan for a public marina on the land slated for the Echo Harbor development, James Ukrop wrote:

“As you consider your decisions about to be made on the riverfront . . . please balance the long-term benefit to our city vs. the short-term gains. [...] By investing in the marina and park site, you will not only create more public access to the river, you will also not lose the magnificent view of the river from Libby Hill (one of our city’s most valuable assets).”

[via]