As I take the Glenside exit on I-64, it’s like my car starts driving itself. Brett and I lived in this area for 11 years – We bought our first home here, started our careers while living here, and brought both of our boys home here after they were born. While much has changed, the familiarity of this place is still strong. It’s an area that I believe would welcome me back no matter how much time has passed. So when I step out of my car, my heart feels like its back home, as I set out towards familiar paths, and to discover new roads.
Lakeside is a place in Henrico County, located just a few minutes drive north of Richmond. It gets its name from Major Lewis Ginter, “who in 1895 named his bicycle club Lakeside Wheel Club.” If the name “Lewis Ginter” rings a bell, it should and we’ll dive more into that a little later in the blog.
Now I tend to only write about areas with official LOVE signs. But when doing my research, I learned that the Lewis Ginter LOVE sign was no longer official (not sure why). This said, there was no way I couldn’t write about my first home in Lakeside. It also gave me an opportunity to include two friends that I’ve known almost all of my life. And besides, how could I not write about a LOVE sign that was voted one of the best in 2021 in Virginia Living Magazine?!
If you haven’t been to Roy’s Big Burger in Lakeside, then you haven’t experienced the area yet. Roy’s has been a staple to the area since 1961 and is considered an “RVA Institute”. And while burger is in the name, they’re also known for breakfast. I ordered their sausage and egg sandwich on a bun – it tasted just like something Nana would make. If your hunger is looking for a classic sandwich joint with hints from the past, Roy’s will satisfy your cravings immediately.
And before you leave Roy’s Big Burger, make sure you stop at Lakeside Deli next door. Not only is it a coffee and sandwich spot with a small grocery, it also has a cool yellow LOVE sign painted on the side of the building.
After breakfast, I made my way to Bryan Park, “one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the area, both for wildlife viewing and recreation”. This is a lovely spot for anyone looking to get outdoors to walk trails, enjoy a picnic or experience “some of the best birding opportunities in Richmond.” If you’re more of the active type, the park also has soccer fields, an 18-hole disc golf course, tennis & pickleball courts and a large playground. It was great to see so many of the community enjoying themselves outside on a spring day.
Sometimes your favorite places are the ones your friends introduce you to. Carrie, one of my lifelong friends, was the first to bring me to Vintage Glass and Pottery. The pictures could never do this place justice – it is an amazing assortment of every type of glassware, pottery, china and dish you can imagine.
And while the collections are immense, everything is categorized with similar types and colors, making it easy to find the treasure you’re looking for. They even have a small collection of used books that are fun to look through (I bought a first edition Harry Potter novel while there). Carrie and I love walking through this place together and find something new every time.
No trip to Lakeside is complete until you’ve experienced the beauty of Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. Someone could write a novella about how wonderful this place is. Carrie and I met with another one of our childhood friends, Brian, where we walked the gardens together and captured the LOVE sign located here (see pic at the top of the blog).
The gardens “offer year-round beauty on a historic property with more than 50 acres of spectacular gardens, dining, and shopping.” In every flower, shrub and tree you walk past, you will see the love that the staff puts in to everything that grows here.
It’s also not just the garden’s that make this place so wonderful. They heavily invest in the community in numerous ways. Many of the local high schools are brought in to design various artwork and murals around the garden (check-out the tree house windows). Multiple adult and children programs are available as well, with its newest edition of a splash pad for young children.
If that weren’t enough, you can also enjoy a delicious meal at the Garden Cafe, browse their Garden Shop, or enjoy live music through their Groovn’ in the Garden summer series. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention they are listed as one of the Best Botanical Gardens in the US by Vouge Magazine. If you’re looking for a hidden oasis that is loved locally and recognized nationally, than you’ll find it here at Lewis Ginter.
When you get lunch at this place, you better “bring your jukebox money.” SB’s Love Shack was the perfect place for us to grab a late lunch after the gardens. Before you even order your food, you know you’ll have a great dining experience – the decor and staff are so fun. The menu serves breakfast and sandwiches all day, with names inspired by the B-52’s Love Shack lyrics. As their website states – “When you walk in, you feel the LOVE, when you eat the food, you taste the LOVE, and when you leave, you spread the LOVE.”
As my previous blogs will tell you, I LOVE all things old and vintage. So when I say that RVA Antiques may be one of the coolest places I’ve shopped at, you know that this place is awesome. Located in an old pharmacy building, you’ll be amazed by the 70 vendors with 70 different personalities selling high quality furniture, collectibles, home decor and homemade items. And the way each booth is set up, your eye will catch each item (and you’ll want to buy them all). I left with a beautiful blue antique trinket box and a hand poured candle in a Fostoria custard bowl. This place is now part of my regular antique stops when shopping in Lakeside.
In this same parking lot, you may notice a unique unofficial LOVE sign. Here is where the Lakeside Farmers Market is held. This market is open year round on Saturday mornings and Wednesdays all day. Depending on the season, there is fresh produce, locally made goods, jewelry and other homemade products. This was one of the first farmer’s markets I experienced when moving to Richmond and it continues to be one that I enjoy visiting still.
The three of us wanted to reminisce about old times, so we met up with my husband Brett at Revel Market & Bar. This was the perfect happy hour place to enjoy a well-made cocktail and time with friends. They also offer a nice selection of dinner items, charcuterie boards and a kids menu. There was nothing but smiles, stories and laughter shared as the four of us clinked glasses to all the good memories we have.
As we said goodbye to Carrie and Brian, Brett and I made a final stop at HobNob. While it was a different restaurant when we lived here, we had to visit the place where we were once regulars. It reminds me of a restaurant you’d find featured in a magazine, and a place the locals would say is one of their best kept secrets. The food also provides its patrons with unexpected combinations that are delectable. We ordered the shrimp-fried green tomatoes, and the pimento cheese & deviled brisket – both were amazing.
Lakeside is a place to love…
Lakeside is an area where you will immediately feel like you know the place. Whether walking around town or going into the local establishments, there is a friendly and neighborly sense anywhere you go. And for a small area, it packs a punch with all of the things you can do and see while you’re there. If “home is where the heart is”, then Lakeside is a place that so many could call home, and find LOVE.
Planning to visit Lakeside? Here is a good starting point.
♥️♥️♥️♥️
| Official ♥️ Signs Visited = 49 | LOVEworks Official Signs = 336 |
| Unofficial ♥️ Signs Visited = 43 | LOVEworks Unofficial Signs = 400+ |
| TOTAL VISITED = 92 | TOTAL LOVEworks Signs = 700+ |
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Important note: I always do my best to ensure everything I include in my blogs are factual and that I also give credit and use quotations when pulling information from sources. If you believe there is something included here that needs to be addressed, please email me directly as I want to be sure it is fixed. Thank you and happy LOVE sign hunting.
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