Forest View - Richmond, VA

Communities south of the James River spread westward from Manchester, which was established across from the original Richmond settlement. Forest View growth was also stimulated by the Boulevard Bridge, built in 1925, and Westover Hills, established as a planned community between Forest Hill Avenue and the river.

Richmond museums tell the area’s tales, including the Virginia Historical Society and Valentine Museum. Nearby art can be found at a local gallery and its annual juried festival, 43rd Street Festival of the Arts.

Other events include Forest Hill Park’s weekly Music in the Park concerts from May until October. Across the Boulevard Bridge, soak in Byrd Park’s free summertime entertainment, including Festival of the Arts and the Fourth of July concert and fireworks.

Casual dining predominates along Forest Hill Avenue. You'll find no fast-food chains here, but should the desire strike, you can head south on Westover Hills Boulevard or west on Forest Hill for McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC and Subway.

Right here in the neighborhood, laid-back TaZa Coffee ‘n Crème specializes in local products for on-site enjoyment at breakfast or lunch, or packaged products to take home. For breakfast, look for the famed Richmond Dixie Donuts, omelets, Blanchard's Coffee and local Cupertino's bagels. For lunch, check out the sandwiches, which draw inspiration from neighborhood names and feature bagels or Billy Bread loaded with Boar's Head deli meats or vegetarian options. Try 7 Nickel Bridge, which comes loaded with pastrami, turkey, Swiss and Cajun remoulade, or the New Kent, made with roasted red pepper, alfalfa sprouts, cucumber and hummus. Don't forget to pick up some Chocolates by Kelly, delightful little packages of sweetness.

Maldini's Ristorante Italiano has been serving the community since 2005, backed by the experience of other Richmond-area restaurants owned by the same family. Besides its pasta, meats and seafoods, Maldini's serves New York-style brick-oven pizza, subs and paninis. Customer favorites include Zuppa Pesci seafood stew, spaghetti carbonara, shrimp fra diavolo and, of course, the pizza. Especially popular are the Romano pizza with prosciutto and artichokes, the Contadina with grilled zucchini, eggplant, roasted red pepper, garlic and basil, and the Bianca Neve, a white pizza with olive oil, garlic, basil and buffalo mozzarella. Maldini's even delivers for those who don't feel fighting traffic to get a delicious meal.

Since 1966, O'Toole's Restaurant and Pub has been drawing loyal customers from all over Richmond. Besides British Isle-inspired foods such as bangers and mash, shepherd's pie and fish and chips, the Irish pub serves steaks, pasta, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and other pub grub. Of course you can order Guinness on tap, but you can also find domestics and a few craft beer selections. O'Toole's also serves as one of the neighborhood live music spots, presenting local acoustic bands every Friday and Saturday night.

The Forest Restaurant is another local hangout for evening entertainment, with a jukebox, party-hardy souls, cheap drinks and food sufficient to absorb the alcohol, all in a dive-bar atmosphere.

You find more acoustic music at Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream, a laid-back coffee shop that serves sandwiches, coffee, local ice cream and some excellent craft beers. The small space creates an intimate atmosphere. Musical acts play here Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday late afternoon.

In moderately walkable Forest View, locals can meet most of their everyday needs right there in the neighborhood, with sidewalks along the main thoroughfares, two convenience food stores and two national drug stores that also carry grocery basics. There are no dedicated bike lanes in the neighborhood, so bikers must choose between the roads or sidewalks.

Public transit runs directly through the neighborhood, making other Richmond-area destinations accessible as well. The GRTC Transit System provides convenient bus stops along Jahnke Road, Forest Hill Avenue and Westover Hills Avenue. Cabs are a phone call away, or Uber can be booked via the handy app.

Parking is convenient and free near the houses and at the businesses. The Richmond highway system can be accessed about a mile up the road at the Powhite Parkway entrance.

For outdoor enjoyment, Forest Hill Park hosts glorious rolling fields, wooded areas and a historic lake. Park features include picnic shelters, walkways and trails, a tot lot and four tennis courts. For the rare Richmond snow, the hills are popular for sledding. The park is also home to summer-long Music in the Park, presenting live music every Sunday evening. The city charges no fee for use or parking and leashed dogs are allowed.

Byrd Park, across Boulevard Bridge, features lighted tennis courts, sunbathing and pedal boat rides at Fountain Lake, fishing, Barker Field dog playground, and the popular Vitacourse exercise trail. Byrd Park also hosts the popular Fourth of July concert and fireworks; Festival of the Arts summertime performing arts series; and Arts in the Park, an exhibit of arts and crafts available. Parking and admission are free.

Also nearby are the trails that make Richmond an urban outdoor playground, centered on the James River Park System. Miles of trails provide excellent opportunities for mountain biking, trail running, dog-walking and hiking. Down on the river, you can go white-water rafting, paddling, fishing, tubing, hiking, swimming, sunbathing or rock hopping. All of these energizing outdoor activities are just a few blocks away from Forest View.

The cost of living in Forest View is lower than the city average. Because GRTC buses go directly to city center from Forest Hill Avenue, with no transfers, one-way fares run at $1.50 The average rent for a one-bedroom residence is $633, and the price of a domestic beer at a local pub is $3, higher for better craft beers. Gas prices hover around 8 percent below the national average.

Though some everyday conveniences lie directly on Forest Hill Avenue in Forest View, several other nearby shopping areas provide a wider range of goods and services: farther west on Forest Hill, at Southside Plaza, and at Stony Point Fashion Park.

Value stores predominate in Forest View and at nearby Southside Plaza, including Family Dollar, Shoe City and Good Samaritan Thrift Store.

You can do plenty of upscale shopping at Stony Point Fashion Park. For your gourmet cooking needs, stop by Sur la Table, for quality serving pieces, knives and utensils, bakeware and cookware, kitchen gadgets such as slicers and blenders, pantry items, aprons and cooking mitts, and much more. And to make sure you know how to use these items, sign up for a Sur la Table cooking classes. Nearly as divine as the skills you learn are the samples at the end of each class.

For the canine in your life, take a walk to Three Dog Bakery, providing wholesome, healthy treats and foods for dogs. Take home some boxer brownies, a carob-flavored wheat flour cake with a frosting made of honey, yogurt and buttermilk, or the bulldog bar, a hefty peanut butter biscuit dipped in carob with a sweet, creamy filling. Better yet, since Stony Point Fashion Park is dog friendly, take your buddy along so he can enjoy his treats right away.

A year-round farmers market in Forest Hill Park can satisfy your whims for local, in-season products, from fresh produce and meat to local package good such as jams and energy bars to fresh baked goods.