Hi there. It’s Amie.

This is not a drill. The Taste of Brunswick Festival is this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Brunswick County Airport in Lawrenceville. Why is this important, you might wonder? Number one, because it’s the most delicious day of the whole entire year, possibly even topping Thanksgiving (sorry, fam). Number two, because Virginia is the birthplace of Brunswick Stew. Take that, Georgia.

There’s also a great opportunity to look up on Saturday. In Virginia, a partial solar eclipse will start around noon, and will end at around 3 p.m. The commonwealth will experience about 40% of a blockage, with the height of the eclipse happening around 1:20 p.m. (at least, in Richmond—timing might be a few minutes off depending on which part of Virginia you call home).

Whatever your weekend plans happen to be, we’re so glad you’ve decided to make reading our newsletter one of them.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Rabbit stew, anyone? Here are 4 of Virginia’s oldest restaurants.

Here’s what you need to know: Yes, we are on a true stew kick this week. But did you know there are many flavors that Virginians have perfected over the years? We’ve pulled together some of the oldest restaurants in the state that still serve up delicious recipes from bygone times.

Our top picks:

The Red Fox Inn & Tavern—Over the years, the 1728 building has changed and taken on numerous identities. In 1812, it became the Beveridge House, which was often used by the Confederate Army during the Civil War. In the late 1880s, the space was renamed the Middleburg Inn. It finally became the Red Fox Inn in 1937. The tavern offers four-course meals with local and seasonal dinner options, like apple cider glazed fried rabbit.
King’s Arms Tavern—A businesswoman named Jane Vobe opened the the King’s Arms Tavern in 1772. Today, the tavern offers a glimpse of what the wealthy ate back then, along with more modern flavors as well. Visitors can stop by for an excellent selection of soups, risotto, and more. For meat-lovers, there’s the Hunters Game Pye, which contains venison, rabbit, and duck stewed in port wine.
Speakeasy Grill—Located in Jackson Ward, the Hippodrome Theater once saw legendary acts such as Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong perform there. Now, more than a century since they were built, The Hipp and the adjacent Taylor Mansion—now home to Speakeasy Grill—have become destinations in Richmond for good food and entertainment. The grill features brunch, lunch, and dinner, including a wide range of comfort foods such as gumbo, waffles, and burgers.

Did your special spot make the list? We all love good food, especially from Virginia. If you’ve got a favorite historic restaurant that didn’t make our list, let us know!

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We want to hear from you. Who has the best Brunswick Stew in Virginia? Feel free to email me with your answer, or participate in our opinion poll.

If you’ve moved since the last time you voted in Virginia, are new to the state, or recently became old enough to cast a ballot, you’ll need to register to vote or update your registration with your current address.

If you’re unsure of your voter status or not sure if you need to update your registration information, you can find out online. Virginia’s Board of Elections has a convenient internet portal to help you make sure you’re able to cast your ballot on or before Nov. 7.

Virginia also allows “same-day voter registration.” As of last year, voters can register and vote simultaneously through Election Day. Through this process, voters will cast a provisional ballot.

~ ICYMI ~

Following news that at least 275 Virginians were illegally removed from voter rolls, the commonwealth’s representatives in Washington are demanding an investigation into the Youngkin administration’s Department of Elections (READ MORE HERE).
Just weeks before Virginians go to the polls to elect the next General Assembly, Data for Progress has released new polling in the state’s most competitive legislative districts that illustrates voters’ lack of trust in Republicans on the issue of reproductive rights. The poll found that most voters (63%) regard a candidate’s position on abortion of “high importance” in deciding who to cast their ballot for (READ MORE HERE).
Book bans are a key topic in some of this fall’s school board elections. Some candidates for those local school boards are concerned that parents’ and students’ rights are being overlooked by groups pushing book bans that censor what they read. As a member of the board of Virginia’s largest school system, Melanie Meren is playing close attention to book ban debates across the state (READ MORE HERE).

Your Commonwealth Connection

Our weekly #ThisIsVirginia shares spotlights of the people, places, and things that make us commonwealth.

Commonwealth Senior Living at Stratford House in Danville recently hosted several belles of the ball for a special photoshoot with Prince Charming.

The assisted living ladies enjoyed an elegant evening of getting pampered and dolled up as Cinderella while posing with a staff member for photographs. According to a representative from the facility—which offers assisted living, independent living, and memory care services—CSL at Stratford House hosts a different “travel the world” theme each month. In September, residents explored the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. If it looks familiar, there’s a good reason: Walt Disney patterned both the Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty castles after the German castle.

“Our sweet residents were so excited to have Eddie, our sales director, offer a chance to try on the glass slipper,” a representative said. “It was so fun, and the smiles on our residents’ faces proved that. It warms our hearts to see them smile, especially how they did, so we’ll do anything we can to make sure they love the activities and events we come up with.”

📸: Commonwealth Senior Living at Stratford House

This email is written by Amie Knowles, community editor at Dogwood, lifelong Virginia resident, and mom to a fantastic five-year-old who loves monster trucks.
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