Ah, Richmond, Virginia. The River City. RVA. A city brimming with history, art, and quirky charm. It’s also where I found myself last weekend, on a whirlwind trip to reconnect with Ray, a former coworker from my Virginia days. This visit? A delightful cocktail of nostalgia, creativity, and a splash of sheer absurdity.
But Richmond holds more than just fun memories for me—it’s also a key chapter in my trans journey. This city is where I first came out as nonbinary. Something about its vibrant, welcoming energy gave me the space to begin stepping into my identity. So, in many ways, coming back here felt like a homecoming, not just to a place but to myself.
Blue Hair, Don’t Care
First order of business? A complete transformation. Ray and I decided it was high time to live our brightest, bluest lives. Armed with hair dye and a healthy dose of chaos, we turned our hotel room into a makeshift salon. The pièce de résistance? My eyebrows. Yes, I went there. The results? Equal parts edgy and Smurf-adjacent.
VMFA: A Feast for the Eyes (and My Olympus OM10)
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was our next stop, where we spent hours soaking in creativity and snapping shots with my trusty Olympus OM10. The Art Deco exhibit was, unsurprisingly, the highlight. There’s something magical about that era—all sleek lines, geometric patterns, and unapologetic glamour. I focused my lens on anything that caught my eye, already dreaming of developing the film when I got back home.
Manga Mayhem at Third Eye Comics
From high art to pop culture—our next destination was Third Eye Comics. We made a beeline for the manga section, where I found both inspiration and hilarity. Somewhere between volumes of shoujo dramas and action-packed shonen, the titles “There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Unless…” and “The Muscle Girl Next Door” jumped out at me. It’s giving “Isekai Title or Fall Out Boy Song?” vibes, which immediately became the foundation for my next party game.
Tattoos and Flashy Decisions
No trip is complete without a little spontaneity, so we hit up Black Rabbit Tattoo. Ray, a tattoo newbie, got their first piece: a beautiful Navi from The Legend of Zelda on their arm. (Hey! Listen! It’s perfect.) Meanwhile, I scoured the flash sheets for the silliest thing I could find. Enter: Naruto-running Kirby. Now immortalized on my ankle, it’s a constant reminder to always lean into the ridiculous.
Also, shoutout to Black Rabbit Tattoo for being incredibly LGBTQIA+-friendly. Walking into a space that not only tolerates but openly welcomes queer and trans folks makes all the difference. If you’re looking for a place in Richmond to get inked while feeling completely at home, this is it.
A Snapshot of Richmond
This weekend wasn’t just about revisiting old haunts—it was about creating new memories, one blue eyebrow, manga-inspired brainstorm, and Naruto-running Kirby at a time. Richmond, you’ve still got it. And thanks to my Olympus OM10, I’ve got a roll of film full of moments to relive—from the moody light of the VMFA to candid snaps of Ray’s wide-eyed excitement post-tattoo.
Would I do it all over again? In a heartbeat. Especially if it involves more flash tattoos and manga-inspired party games. Until next time, Richmond—stay weird, stay wonderful, and never stop inspiring.