AMERICANWAY

at Ipanema (and everywhere else) is a Rich- mond beer named L Legend,, brewed just across the James River from downtown. On warm spring and summer days, locals and visitors flock to the microbrewery’s deck overlook- ing the river and drink lagers, porter and barleywine. Local beer, local music, local art: Where others might have relied solely on grand municipal reinvestment programs to revi- talize their city center, Richmond residents have taken the lead themselves. Yes, there R em are big civic institutions like the wholly im - pressive glass-and-steel Virginia Museum of V Fine Arts (which will feature an exhibition of over 500 objects in the largest collection of “You’re not going to find a lot of chain restaurants around here. People like things a little different.” Fabergé in the U. S., including Fabergé eggs, from July to October of this year), but there F r) are also from-the-ground-up galleries like the nonprofit 1708 Gallery and the Page Bond P Gallery (it turns out my Segway tour guide is a painter by trade; he exhibits in both places). You can see this vibrant DIY energy iner Roasting Company, on i n. th neighborhood fixtures such as Lamplighter whose owners converted er a gas station into a more caffeinated type of fueling station. I went there to tank up with a drink they call the Black Eye, a cup of dark th k Local singer/songwriter Anousheh Khalili The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was founded in 1936 to serve as the state’s premier institution for educating Virginians about the arts. Major General J.E.B. Stuart sits always ready for battle on Richmond’s famed Monument Avenue. Along with local brews, the Ipanema Cafe serves not only vegetarian and vegan entrées but a large selection of vegetarian and vegan desserts. AA.COM/AMERICANWAY JUNE 15, 2011 37

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