O Lala! (In RVA)

O Lala! (In RVA)

by Olivia, Liz, & Matt

Comedy Interviews Entertainment News

Season 2

RVA's Rest Fest (The Bell Garden Returns) | O Lala! (In the Dungeon) S2 #12

Our friend Rick Plautz, owner and operator of the Bell Garden, is back on the pod today! If you didn't catch his last episode, the Bell Garden is a wellness business and sound bath facilitator in RVA combining quartz crystal bowls, curated music, and vocal toning to create a profoundly relaxing meditative experience. Today Rick comes to discuss an exciting new festival in RVA: Rest Fest on May 4th. The festival is a celebration of wellness, bringing Richmonders together for group classes, speakers, music, food and connection. We also talk about the MANDALA EFFECT with Big Daddy! ✨ Tickets to Rest Fest: https://www.rvarestfest.com/ Support The Bell Garden: TheBell.Garden @thebell.garden Tiktok Restaurants of the week: The Boathouse @ Rocketts Landing Cocktail: dirty martini App: Rockefeller oysters Entree: crab cakes with asparagus and mashed potatoes. The crab cakes have a mustard glaze on top which is so delicious! Hobnob Cocktail: The Winter Solstice Entree: Fried green tomato BLT or Strawberry Goat cheese salad with grilled chicken Croaker's Spot -Southern soul food Band of the week: Cheapshot: a five piece rock band that plays 90s/2000s hits with their own hard rock flair on everything they play. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089847070248&mibextid=LQQJ4d https://www.instagram.com/cheapshotva/?hl=en Our Sponsor: Maya's Bellydancing💃 Shoutouts: Divine Spark The Art Of Us Studio Transitions Float Spa RVA Rage Room Maymont Carytown Massage Doswell Meadow Event Park

All About RVA's Hofheimer Building (Interview With Carter Snipes) | O Lala! (In the Dungeon) S2 #11

On today's episode we interview Carter Snipes, co-owner of the popular Hofheimer building. We also discuss popular restaurant trends around RVA, more news about the infamous Stanley Cup, our restaurants and band of the week, and more! About our guest: Carter Snipes is an entrepreneur and a veteran real estate developer. As the owner of Snipes Properties, he has aided in the redevelopment of properties across Richmond, including of course the historic Hofheimer building, and Brambly Park Winery, a 2 acre park-like urban winery, restaurant, and music venue in the back of Scott's Addition. As an activist board member of the Scott's Addition Neighborhood Association, Carter has also been instrumental in securing city grants for Scott’s Addition greenspace, landscaping, and infrastructure. Snipes is a passionate, visionary entrepreneur set on elevating the neighborhood’s exposure on a national level. Support Carter Snipes: https://www.hofheimerbuilding.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hofheimerbuilding/ https://www.instagram.com/hofheimer_building https://www.harrysrva.com/ https://www.instagram.com/harrysrva/ https://www.bramblypark.com/ https://www.instagram.com/bramblypark/ https://www.facebook.com/bramblypark https://www.tiktok.com/@bramblypark Our sponsor: Maya's Belly Dancing💃 Band of the week: The Atkinsons - Country, rock, Americana, and folk blend. This 7 piece band will blow you away. Restaurants of the week: Greek on Cary - 3107 w Cary St Pho Thien Phat 2 - 9031 W Broad St

Interview With Erin From RVA's Erin & The Wildfire | O Lala! (In the Dungeon) S2 #10

Today we are joined by Erin, the soulful and extremely talented vocalist from RVA’s Erin & The Wildfire. The band started out as four college friends in Charlottesville, VA making music just for the fun of it. Today they have grown into a flourishing decade long musical experience with an idie-pop flair with influences from Emily King, D’Angelo, YEBBA, Vulfpeck, and Donny Hathaway. The band also includes Ryan Lipps on guitar, Nick Quillen on drums, Matt Woods on bass and Stephen Roach on keys. Erin & The Wildfire create their own music with deeply personal lyrics that mainly focus on Erin’s journey with struggles with body acceptance and self-love but also touch on climate change, fighting the patriarchy and more. The band strives to make their shows a safe space for all ages and kinds of people. Their second full-length album, Touchy Feely was released April 1, 2022 and recorded in the Summer of 2021, after nearly a year and a half of virtual songwriting and collaboration during the global pandemic. The new release, named one of Style Weekly’s most-anticipated local albums of 2022, was produced by acclaimed songwriter and producer Matthew E. White (Natalie Prass). The meticulous production, impeccable songwriting, and sensual vocals are present as ever on an album that polishes the signature style introduced by their popular single “Shape” in 2020. E&TW have also made appearances at some of the largest festivals on the East Coast including Suwannee Rising, LOCKN’, FloydFest, CMJ, RoosterWalk, and more. Support Erin & The Wildfire: https://www.erinandthewildfire.com/ https://www.instagram.com/erinandthewildfire/ https://www.facebook.com/ErinandtheWildfire/ https://twitter.com/ErinAndWildfire https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8j8JBYzPOKZrrB7xwweRQ https://music.apple.com/us/artist/erin-the-wildfire/727140636 https://soundcloud.com/erinandthewildfire https://www.tiktok.com/@erinandthewildfire https://open.spotify.com/artist/03NHhY1mdWC3Hf9uJEnomj?si=W34dC8EkR0uy3YYgGx2z3Q Our sponsor: Maya's Belly Dancing💃 Restaurants of the week: Metzger Bar & Butchery -801 N 23rd St. Sabai RVA -2727 W Broad Street

Funmi Spills The Tea! (Afternoon Tea in RVA) | O Lala! (In the Dungeon) S2 #9

On today’s episode, we interview Funmi Mohlie, tea sommelier and connoisseur, hailing from London, UK, who is bringing Afternoon Tea to RVA. She worked in the luxury industry for over 20 years, including Harrods, where she got to experience exquisite afternoon teas. The whole concept started after Funmi, her husband and kids moved to Virginia in June of 2020. As they were getting settled and as a way to entertain people, Funmi started hosting British afternoon teas for her friends in their home called “Mummy And Me Teas”. More and more requests kept coming for larger events. Encouraged by her friends, she decided to start a quintessential British afternoon tea company with a twist: bringing the experience to your home or location of choice. Thus Funmi’s Royal Tea was born. With the Deluxe experience, Funmi’s catering service includes everything from the place setting to the delicious items you’ll enjoy. She brings all of the necessary items to the location of your choice, so all you have to do is provide her with the table, the chairs and the guests. Funmi’s menu has a variety of items to choose from, such as sandwiches, pastries and cakes, as well as a selection of loose-leaf teas. Scones, strawberry jam and clotted cream will always be available on the menu as this is a staple to the British afternoon tea experience. Big Daddy drops it on us with some facts about tea totaling and the origins of dry January. Support Funmi and do a British Tea Experience: @caeruleum_llc www.caeruleumllc.com https://www.facebook.com/caeruleumllc Restaurants of the week: Osaka Sushi- 5023 Huguenot Rd We recommend their Mt Fuji Shrimp appetizer and the Incredible Roll which is a spicy tuna roll with tempura crunch, filet mignon, red cavier and spicy mayo. Wash it down with their Manhattan cocktail. Pinky’s -3015 Norfolk st. Scott’s addition We recommend their brunch-both of their starters are amazing-the zeppole is like a little fried donut or pastry with powdered sugar and choice of topping or the Giardino board with fruit, cheese, crostini and fixings For the main course we recommend the croque madame with prosciutto di parma, iberico ham, asiago-manchego cream, pancetta, sunny up eggs on grilled crostini with fresh fruit and a side of brunch potatoes, with the Le bolle their twist on an aperol spritz-so refreshing! Band of the week: Mashup & Cozy Condition Hailing from Richmond Virginia, Mashup is an electrifying eight-piece ensemble that melds vintage funk, with with modern production techniques. They take popular songs, put their own spin on it and “mash it up” with another song in the same key. Their next gig is on January 26th at 8 at JJ’s Bar and Grille on Staples Mill Road. They’re also playing at the Midlothian Great American Ranch on February 3rd at 9PM. Our sponsor: Maya's Belly Dancing Other shoutouts: Short Pump Pour House Are You Randy, Baby? Ember Music Hall U of R Spiders Basketball Toast JJ’s Bar and Grill Southern Railway Taphouse Great American Ranch Kindred Spirit

Quit Her 9 to 5 to Chase Her Dreams Full-Time (Interview With RVA Makeup Artist) | O Lala! (In the Dungeon) S2 #8

Today on our last episode of the year, we have Amanda Cook, a seasoned local makeup artist who has graced the beauty industry with her talent since 2013. She has worked with renowned brands such as Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Clinique, and Laura Mercier. Amanda’s artistic journey began in her youth, where a love for art and creativity transformed into a passion for makeup, inspired by the femininity she observed in her family. Infusing heart into her craft, Amanda ensures every client feels regal under her care. Beyond beautifying, she’s a fervent educator, sharing insights on skincare, artistry techniques, and the art of selecting the perfect tools. Known for her unmatched professionalism, Amanda resides in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia, with her fiancée Ricky and her feline companion, Gomez. Amanda previously worked for Walt Disney world as a character performer, went to VCU, and has been with Ricky 11 years in May! Matt also quizzes us on his previous "Drop It On Us Big Daddy" segments. Who will win the prize?!?! HAPPY HOlDAYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS from us to you! We love you and will see ya in January for more amazing interviews! 💋 Support Amanda: Facebook Instagram Our Sponsor: Maya's Belly Dancing💃 Restaurants of the week: Mayu Sushi We recommend their sushi - so fresh. You can build your own rolls. The Curry Pot Stickers - steamed chicken and shrimp dumplings cooked in red curry sauce. The Sun-Dried Beef which is Thai beef jerky served with sriracha sauce. The Moss Head cocktail. Toast Great Happy Hour. We recommend the Pumpkin Espresso Martini without simple syrup. Hot Toddy's for $6. The Turkey Rachael sandwich - roasted turkey, Swiss cheese, thousand island dressing, apple slaw, on rye with shoestring fries! Band of The Week: The Dan Schutt Band - A local RVA funky blues-rock band that always gets the crowd dancing and the party started. The Dan Schutt Band performs a catalogue of high-energy and recognizable tunes, influenced by rock, blues, country, jazz, and reggae. AMAZING! Shoutouts: ZOSO - Led Zeppelin Tribute Band The National UR Football Team UR Basketball Team Lex’s gowns Mamie's Apothecary Helen’s The Shoppes at 5807 on Patterson Liberty Public House

Lisa Lish From Licious Boutique (RVA's Best Women's Clothing Store) | O Lala! (In the Dungeon) S2 #7

Today's guest is Lisa Lish, the owner of RVA's Licious Boutique where you can be a hit in a Licious fit! She is also a recovering addict who is 12 years sober and a traveling feature entertainer. She loves dancing, traveling, her family, her dogs, but most importantly SEXY fun fashion. She always dreamt of opening up her own boutique with super stylish clothes and that dream came true in the past year when she opened up her shop. The boutique quickly was voted RVA’s best women’s clothing store. The store also offers lashes, permanent jewelry, private shopping experiences, and more. 💄💋👠 In this week's episode will take a deep dive into her life as a female business owner, her life travels, dancing for Ozzy Osbourne and Marilyn Manson, getting sober, fashion do's and don'ts, tons of laughs, and much more. Also tune in for Big Daddy's segment where he talks about famous RVA movies and TV shows! Support Licious Boutique: Lisa Lish Facebook Lisa Lish Instagram Licious Boutique Online Store Licious Boutique Facebook Licious Boutique Instagram Licious Boutique TikTok Licious Links Permanent Jewelry Others: The Little Lash Bar Youthful Beginnings Youthful Beginnings Facebook Our Sponsor: Maya's Belly Dancing💃 Restaurant of the Week: Red Salt We recommend their lobster mac and cheese, truffle fries, poinsettia roll, and their "When Doves Cry" cocktail. Frontier We recommend their bbq nachos, bbq Philly, the "Dirty Matilda" or Old Fashioned cocktail. Local Band of the Week: The Grace Street Seven - vintage jazz band who takes you back in time to the roaring 20s with their vintage instruments, costumes, and theatrics. SO GOOD! Be prepared to Swing Dance. Other Shoutouts: Bell Isle Moonshine MPM Tiki Bar Shawn Speake Hardywood West Creek

The Power Of Sound Healing (Interview With The Bell Garden) | O Lala! (In the Dungeon) S2 #6

Today we have Rick Plautz, owner and operator of the Bell Garden. The Bell Garden is a wellness business and sound bath facilitator in RVA combining quartz crystal bowls, curated music, and vocal toning to create a profoundly relaxing meditative experience. Rick started holding sound baths in December of 2021 at Triangle Rock Club - and still does once a month. But he now holds them all over town in yoga studios, reiki centers, and privately in clients' homes. In 2018 while he was meditating to music he began humming - and promptly fell asleep. When he woke up he had an image in his head of sitting on a large concert stage, ringing a crystal bowl and singing a note in front of a crowd of hundreds. This image has led him to where he is today. We also discuss local RVA celebrities, our favorite restaurants of the week, and more! Support Rick: TheBell.Garden @thebell.garden Tiktok Other Reiki Healers in RVA: Shekina - holds ecstatic dances Yogi J Miles - yoga Julian J. Desta - sound healer Shanna Latia - yogi, does paddle board yoga on the river Our Sponsor: Maya's Bellydancing💃 Restaurants of the week: MPM Tiki Bar Appetizer: Crab Rangoons Entree: Pad Thai Cocktail: Pain Killer Emerald Lounge Cocktails: Negroni - they use rum, More Than Words cocktail, El Diablo cocktail Appetizer: Edamame appetizer Small Plates: teriyaki shishito peppers, Spam Cubano sliders

Interview With a Paranormal Investigator (Halloween Special) | | O Lala! (In the Dungeon) S2 #5

In today's spoOoky episode, we interview Jon, founder of RVA paranormal. Alongside his wife, Jon investigates poltergeist activity here in Richmond. Together they have witnessed apparitions, heard voices, felt the presence of those long passed, communicated with ghostly soldiers on local battlefields, and spent the night in some of the most notoriously haunted locations on the east coast. Even after all of these years in their investigations, Jon feels that they are nowhere close to knowing the questions of how and why. How do people see and hear these events and why are some spirits so eager to share their story? Also tune in to learn about the Richmond Vampire who haunts Hollywood Cemetery! Support RVA Paranormal Community: RVA Paranormal Haunts of Richmond Haunted Nights Paranormal Events Transcend Paranormal Henricus Hanover Tavern RVA Haunted Attractions: Saint Albans Red Vein Terror On The Farm Howl-O-Scream Halloween Haunt Creepy Hollow Scream Park Fallout Monster Ball Restaurants Of The Week: Little Nickel We recommend the Flaming Pu-Pu Platter, The Punch Bowl to share with your friends (or not), Calamari, the Hawaiian Pork Bowl, and Coconut Cream Pie. Blue Atlas They change the menu every two months. Try the Crispy Cauliflower, steak frites, Time Up cocktail and Snake Bite Gimlet cocktail. Our Sponsors: Coastal Spritz🥂 Maya's Belly Dancing💃

Absinthe & Other Spirits (& Surprising Richmond Trivia) | O Lala! (In the Dungeon) S2 #4

This week Liz and Liv reunite after two weeks of spending time on opposite ends of the world. Liv talks about being her mother's nurse for a few weeks after her hip replacement, experiencing the loss of her wonderful grandpa and well as some crazy signs from him after his death. Liz and Matt discuss their time spent at Oktoberfest in Munich as well as their adventures in Prague. Other fun segments of this week's episode include fun local fall events coming up, some interesting facts about Absinthe that Matt learned while indulging in Prague as well as hilariously surprising RVA trivia. Tune in to learn more about our beautiful city. Our Sponsors: Coastal Spritz🥂 Maya's Belly Dancing💃 Restaurants Of The Week: SB's Love Shack Liv recommends the unicorn pancakes with pink whipped cream, glitter, and rainbow sprinkles as well as their sparkly dreamsicle cocktail (tastes just like an actual dreamsicle). Gersi They have new special every day so Liz usually orders that. Matt recommends their Negroni. Liz recommends the fig sour, fig and prosciutto crostinis, broccoli rob special, black salt Caesar salad, and rigatoni Siciliana with sautéed eggplant tomatoes and mozzarella. Shoutouts: The Tobacco Company The Grace Street Seven Switch Sparrow's Pizza Richmond Folk Festival Powhatan Grape Festival UR Football

Shawn SPEAKE! (MPM Tiki Bar's Karaoke Hype Man Legend) | O Lala! (In the Dungeon) S2 #3

Today we interview somebody we know you have seen if you've been to MPM Tiki Bar on a Friday night. We are joined by Shawn Speake – one half of an infamous duo known for hosting the best and dare I say “littest” Karaoke show at MPM Tiki Bar and The Beach House on Broad. Olivia met Shawn on a random Monday night when she got happy hour drinks with a friend. She didn't expect to stay out after midnight on a work-night, but she did because of Shawn's energy. Shawn is particularly amazing with his karaoke hype man skills, rapping ability, and dance moves. His fashion is also unbeatable. Shawn Speake is a one-man rap cover band and performing artist. You might know him as Shawn Michael – the name he went by for years as an on-air talent at Power92FM in RVA. Shawn has been a radio DJ and an actor on several shows on Amazon, Netflix, and even some Christmas movies that you can find at Walmart. During COVID, SPEAK produced 137 music tracks. He recently enrolled at the reverse engineering program on mastering.com with the pursuit to become a music engineer and self producing artist. Speak and his friend DJ Reflex recently opened for Nelly at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell in August. Tune in to hear crazy Shawn ~speake~ (no pun intended) more about his music, his acting career, and more. You'll even hear him spit a few bars at the end of the episode! He will definitely make you laugh and bring a smile to your face. We also discuss the history of Octoberfest and places that you can celebrate in Richmond. Support SPEAKE: @shawn_speake Shawn's Facebook Shawn's YouTube Our Sponsors: Coastal Spritz🥂 Maya's Belly Dancing💃 Restaurants Of The Week: Little Angela's I recreated my favorite Olive Garden dish - angel hair pasta, Alfredo sauce, with breaded chicken. A side salad with house balsamic vinaigrette. A glass of Chardonnay. Fresh baked bread. Hill Cafe Fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese appetizer. Fried chicken blue plate with mashed potatoes and collards. Moscow Mule with vodka. Shoutouts: MPM Tiki Bar The Beach House The Tobacco Company The Verdant Lady The Grace Street Seven Speak Up 5k Gersi

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