Snapshots of RVA: Metro Richmond Zoo and Libby Hill Park

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May 16th, 2015

  • IMG_4409 A peacock chills at the Metro Richmond Zoo.
  • IMG_4418 A peacock chills at the Metro Richmond Zoo.
  • IMG_4441 Bison have an exhibit at the Richmond Metro Zoo.
  • IMG_4443 This goat was also in the Bison exhibit.
  • IMG_4461 There were about six or seven camels in this exhibit.
  • IMG_4473 A large fountain lake at the Richmond Metro Zoo.
  • IMG_4487 The rhino shared its space with several other animals.
  • IMG_4531 The giraffe exhibit is a big attraction since guests can feed and touch them.
  • IMG_4548 There is also a large flamingo exhibit.
  • IMG_4561 This is the view of the former Lucky Strike factory from Libby Hill.
  • IMG_4574
  • IMG_4617 This is the view that got Richmond its name.
  • IMG_4630 This is the view of the downtown skyline from Libby Hill Park.

These are pictures from a day’s trip around the city. It began at Metro Richmond Zoo, located in Chesterfield County — that’s south of Richmond. Apart from the several interesting animals there (some of which you’ll see in the gallery) the zoo had a lot of picturesque areas that were very neat, too. You’ll see those as well. After it got hot and I left, I went to Libby Hill Park — that’s in Richmond proper, at the eastern part of the city. Libby Hill Park is one of the high points of the city, and you get a great view of the downtown Richmond skyline from there, as well as of the James River and Rocketts Landing. William Byrd, who founded Richmond, actually stood on the part of the park overlooking the James and said the view reminded him of the view of the River Thames from Richmond Hill back in London — hence, the city’s name.

Snapshots of RVA: The Niña, Pinta Visit Rocketts Landing

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May 10th, 2015

  • Downtown skyline from Rocketts Landing Downtown skyline from Rocketts Landing.
  • The Niña and The Pinta The Niña and The Pinta.
  • The Pinta's sails The Pinta's sails.
  • The U.S. flag flew on both ships The U.S. flag flew on both ships.
  • The Niña and The Pinta The Niña and The Pinta.
  • The Niña and The Pinta The Niña and The Pinta.

Richmond is no stranger to history — you’ll find historical markers on many city streets of major events that have shaped the Commonwealth and the country. For a few weeks in May, though, there was another kind of history in town — the history of the exploration era. It sailed-in taking the form of modern replicas of the Niña and the Pinta, two of the ships Christopher Columbus used in the journey that ended with the discovery of the Americas. The replicas were built almost identically to the way the originals were built (with modern adjustments, like engines, for example) and were constructed by shipbuilders in Brazil. The ships do actually sail the seas and were on a tour of the east coast of the U.S. as they stopped in Vriginia. There was no replica of the Santa Maria made, though, so the full exhibit consisted only of the two ships you see in the gallery.

Snapshots of RVA: James River Trail Loop

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April 18th, 2015

  • Northbank trail View from along the Northbank Trail.
  • IMG_4273 The view of the James River from the Boulevard Bridge.
  • IMG_4272 The view of the James River from the Boulevard Bridge.
  • IMG_4274 The Boulevard Bridge.
  • IMG_4277 The view of the James River from the Boulevard Bridge.
  • IMG_4278 The view of the James River from the Boulevard Bridge.

The James River Park System includes land surrounding the James up and down Richmond, and one of the neat things about it (there are many) is the elaborate trail system along the river. You can really get lost in the wilderness while you’re on those trails, which is incredible when you consider that you’re in a pretty urbanized city. It’s remarkable. I went on a trail run in April and took these pictures from that trip. As you can see, there are parts that are along roads — case in point, the picture of the bridge (The Boulevard Bridge), which extends over the James River and connects north and south. The bridge is pretty old, and you can picture it standing in the early 1900s, when it was actually completed (it was finished in 1925).

Snapshots of RVA: Floodwall Park, Manchester Bridge and Downtown

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March 7th, 2015

  • IMG_4064 View of downtown Richmond from the Floodwall.
  • IMG_4065 View of downtown Richmond from the Floodwall.
  • IMG_4072 View of downtown Richmond from the Floodwall.
  • IMG_4088 View of downtown Richmond from the Floodwall.
  • IMG_4094 View of downtown Richmond from the Floodwall.
  • IMG_4100 View of downtown Richmond from the Floodwall.
  • IMG_4102 View of downtown Richmond from the Floodwall.
  • IMG_4118 This is a view of downtown Richmond and the Manchester Bridge on the left from the Floodwall.
  • IMG_4125 Here's a view looking west at the James River from the Floodwall.
  • IMG_4131 This is the Richmond Skyline from the Manchester Bridge.
  • IMG_4135 This is the Richmond Skyline from the Manchester Bridge.
  • IMG_4151 This is a view looking west toward the Virginia War Memorial and Tredegar from the Manchester Bridge.
  • IMG_4152 This is the Richmond Skyline from the Manchester Bridge.
  • IMG_4156 This is the Richmond Skyline from the Manchester Bridge.
  • IMG_4159 This is the Richmond Skyline from the Manchester Bridge.
  • IMG_4166 This is the Richmond Skyline from the intersection of Byrd Street and the Manchester Bridge.
  • IMG_4169 This is the Richmond Skyline from the intersection of Byrd Street and the Manchester Bridge.

This was a trip that began in Shockoe Slip near downtown Richmond, crossed into Manchester and toward the Richmond Floodwall, and ended by crossing the Manchester Bridge back into downtown Richmond. I took these while on a run on a very nice Sunday in February — there were clear skies and temps in the 50s!

Snapshots of RVA: Fountain Lake at Byrd Park

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February 28th, 2015

  • Fountain Lake at Byrd Park Fountain Lake at Byrd Park
  • Fountain Lake at Byrd Park Fountain Lake at Byrd Park
  • Fountain Lake at Byrd Park Fountain Lake at Byrd Park
  • Fountain Lake at Byrd Park Fountain Lake at Byrd Park
  • Fountain Lake at Byrd Park Fountain Lake at Byrd Park
  • Fountain Lake at Byrd Park Fountain Lake at Byrd Park
  • Fountain Lake at Byrd Park Fountain Lake at Byrd Park
  • Fountain Lake at Byrd Park Fountain Lake at Byrd Park
  • Fountain Lake at Byrd Park Fountain Lake at Byrd Park

These are some pictures from a trip to The Landing at Fountain Lake, a part of Byrd Park. They were taken in about February 2015, when much of the cold of the winter had passed. Just a few weeks before, I had visited Fountain Lake and the water was almost completely frozen over. Quite a dramatic difference from that!

Snapshots of RVA: Winter Snow

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February 25th, 2015

  • Broad Street was covered in snow Broad Street was covered in snow.
  • IMG_4173 Broad Street was covered in snow.
  • Broad Street was covered in snow Broad Street was covered in snow.
  • Snowfall in the bushes Snowfall in the bushes.

The snow that fell in Richmond during the 2014-2015 winter season was the first snow I ever saw in my life. Having grown up in Miami and lived in Florida my whole life up until I moved here, I was never exposed to it before — and it did live up to what I pictured it to be. We had about three major snowfalls in central Virginia in February 2015, the first of which included 6-8 inches of snow. Everything was covered in snow for days during that snowfall, and some of the pictures in this gallery are from that snowfall. We had two others after that, but none were as major as that first one. Snow does lose its charm after two or three days, unfortunately, when it starts becoming dirty. The first day of it, though, is quite magical.

Special ‘Snapshots’ Post: Washington, D.C.

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February 7th, 2015

  • 20140702_174724 The U.S. Capitol.
  • 20140731_150240 The U.S. Capitol.
  • IMG_2610 The White House.
  • IMG_2618 The Washington Monument.
  • IMG_2634 The Washington Monument.
  • IMG_2642 The U.S. Capitol from Pennsylvania Ave NW near the National Archives.
  • IMG_3391 The J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building facing Pennsylvania Avenue.
  • IMG_3450 The U.S. Supreme Court.
  • IMG_3464 The U.S. Supreme Court.
  • IMG_3477 The U.S. Supreme Court.
  • World War II Memorial World War II Memorial
  • The National Mall The National Mall
  • The National Mall The National Mall
  • The National Mall The National Mall
  • The National Mall The National Mall
  • Lincoln Memorial Lincoln Memorial
  • The White House The White House
  • Organization of American States Organization of American States
  • The Federal Reserve The Federal Reserve
  • Lincoln Memorial Lincoln Memorial

Ok, this isn’t quite in RVA, but Washington, D.C. is also a pretty photogenic city. Having grown up as a government and politics nerd hundreds of miles away from the nation’s capital, I try to take advantage of my closer proximity to D.C. to explore and geek out. This is a compilation of pictures I’ve taken from my several trips to Washington, D.C.

Snapshots of RVA: RVA At Night

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January 5th, 2015

  • IMG_3786
  • IMG_3798
  • IMG_3826

These are pictures of the Richmond skyline at night, taken in January 2015. Some of the buildings are decorated with lights for Christmas. Several pictures were taken at Richmond Hill in Shockoe Bottom, which has a great view of downtown Richmond. There is also a picture taken from the Virginia War Memorial, which also has a great view of the skyline. The night was foggy and misty after a rainy day.

Snapshots of RVA: Confederate War Memorial Chapel

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November 28th, 2014

  • IMG_2758 This cannon was used to defend Fort Sumter.
  • IMG_2763 This cannon was used to defend Fort Sumter.
  • IMG_2766 The Confederate Memorial Chapel.
  • IMG_2770 This cannon was used to defend Fort Sumter.

The Confederate War Memorial Chapel was built as a memorial to the soldiers who died on the Confederate side during the Civil War. Right in front, very unassumingly, sits a cannon with a plaque that reads “One of the guns used in the defence of Fort Sumter.” So, basically, a piece of U.S. history is sitting right in front of it, surrounded by shrubs. It’s a pretty neat thing. The chapel is behind the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Snapshots of RVA: Virginia Capitol Square

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November 11th, 2014

  • IMG_3758 This is the Virginia State Capitol. It's on a big hill in downtown Richmond.
  • IMG_3764 This is the unassuming Governor's Mansion. It's a little tough to find -- it's on Capitol Square hidden behind the trees you see.
  • IMG_3768 This is the a dining room in the Governor's Mansion. This pic was taken during a tour in October, which you can tell by the decor.
  • IMG_3769 This is the Governor's Mansion "back yard." It's some rare green space in the middle of downtown Richmond.

This is a collection of pictures from around the Virginia Capitol Square, where the Virginia Capitol and the Governor’s Mansion are found. The Virginia Capitol houses the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate, while the Virginia governor lives in the Governor’s Mansion (surprise). History factoid: the Virginia Capitol was designed by Thomas Jefferson and housed the Confederate Legislature during the Civil War. However, the Confederate president did not live in the Governor’s Mansion — the White House of the Confederacy is a separate building oddly located in the middle of the Virginia Commonwealth University MCV campus, which is a hospital.