It’s the final episode of the year and we’re going out sparkly, chaotic, and very on brand ✨ This week, we’re joined by the incredible Melanie Eaton (Helms), Richmond-based luxury fashion, boudoir, and branding photographer, plus ME Program member Hannah, for a conversation about confidence, creativity, community, and taking bold artistic risks.

We talk disposable cameras, Barbie shoots, Vikings, mermaids, snakes (yes, real ones), and why overthinking is the hardest thing to photograph. PLUS—Big Daddy brings us some truly unhinged Bad Santa crimes, and we round things out with high-key and low-key New Year’s Eve plans around Richmond.

💖 This Episode Includes:

• ✨ Main Character vs. Delulu Era energy check for 2025
• 📸 Melanie Eaton’s journey from disposable cameras to high-end editorial photography
• 👑 What confidence really looks like—and how to fake it until it sticks
• 🤍 Inside The ME Program: empowerment, community, and hype-girl energy
• 💄 Barbie shoots, Secret Gardens, Vikings, Sirens, Marie Antoinette, and creative chaos
• 🐍 A photoshoot featuring a REAL snake (and facing fears)
• 🎥 Why community matters more than perfection
• 🏗️ Melanie’s upcoming studio glow-up
• 🎅 Big Daddy’s Bad Santa Crimes (marijuana Santa, chimney Santa, Santa brawls)
• 🥂 New Year’s Eve in RVA: high-key parties and soft-life options

🎉 New Year’s Eve Events We Cover:

High-Key

• Midnight in Manhattan at Harry’s at the Hofheimer (Follow us on instagram for 1/2 off ticket prices on this one!!!)
• Y2K NYE Bash at Ember Music Hall
• Royal Masquerade Ball at The Foundation

Low-Key / Soft Life

• Carytown dinner + stroll
• Wine flights at Brambly Park
• Artsy NYE at the VMFA

🌸 Guest Info:

Instagram: @melanieeatonphoto

Facebook: @melanieeatonphoto

Website: https://melanieeatonphotography.com/

Bookings for 2025 are OPEN 👀✨

As always—thank you for listening, laughing, and being part of our corner of RVA 💕 See you next year, besties 🥂✨ and be sure to follow us!

Richmond’s favorite caricature artist, Eric Vineyard, joins O Lala! in RVA to spill all the messy, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt details of life as a traveling caricature artist. From sketching drunk wedding guests to the day he accidentally gave a ride to someone picking up crack, Eric keeps it brutally honest and painfully funny.

Eric opens up about getting fired (a lot), learning the ropes at Busch Gardens, getting banned for “Irish coffee mishaps,” and eventually becoming RVA’s go-to caricature artist on his own terms. He talks about his love-hate relationship with weddings, his wildest fairground moments, and why he’ll always draw you better if you just look up from your phone.

We also play “Would You Draw This?”, where Eric tells us which requests he’d sketch sober, skip entirely, or only do if drunk — from toddlers mid-tantrum to couples with questionable poses.

Follow Eric:

https://www.instagram.com/ericscaricatures

https://ericscaricatures.com

Plus:

• 🐒 Big Daddy’s Drop It On Us: The escaped monkey saga in Mississippi (herpes, COVID rumors, and all)
• 🎄 Upcoming RVA events — from GardenFest of Lights to Thanksgiving dinner spots and River City Roll & Rave
• 🎁 Business of the Week: The Shops at 5807 — your one-stop, last-minute gift haven
• 🎸 Band of the Week: Richmond’s own What’s Our Age Again
• 🍸 Shoutouts to local icons, cake artists, new restaurants, and all the Christmas pop-up bars lighting up RVA

Grab a gobbler from Wawa, pour a little whiskey (but maybe don’t draw after), and enjoy this sweet, sketch-filled episode with RVA’s funniest grump and most talented doodler.

O Lala! (In RVA) gets spooky with a special Halloween edition featuring author and journalist Catherine Baab — whose book Poe for Your Problems turned Edgar Allan Poe into an unlikely self-help icon. Now she’s back at it with her upcoming project, Gothic Glow-Up: Mary Shelley’s Guide to Stitching Yourself Back Together.

We talk Frankenstein, free love, grief, genius, and the surprisingly messy (and sexy?) lives of 19th-century writers. It’s brains, bangers, and a whole lot of gothic gossip — perfect for a cozy October listen.

Then, Big Voodoo Daddy drops his “Big Daddy Topic” — the eerie origins of trick-or-treating and the world’s weirdest Halloween traditions (yes, some countries hide their knives 👀). We also highlight a spooky Richmond band, a bold new Carytown boutique, and all the Halloween happenings you don’t wanna miss.

🧠 Topics We Cover

• Cat’s upcoming book Gothic Glow-Up and her deep dive into Mary Shelley’s life
• Why Shelley’s husband Percy was the ultimate gothic f-boy
• How grief, trauma, and genius collide in Frankenstein
• Gothic trivia showdown (Olivia vs. Big Daddy — who wins?)
• The eerie history of trick-or-treating and Halloween across the globe
• Local RVA shoutouts: from the Broadberry’s Halloween Bash to the return of the Gunhole (yes, that Gunhole)
• Our Band of the Week: Windhand
• Our Business of the Week: Hiss Off, a Harajuku-inspired boutique in Carytown

💀 Guest Spotlight: Cat Baab

🖤 Author of Poe for Your Problems 📖 Working on Gothic Glow-Up (coming soon!) 💬 Find her at @authorcatherinebaab 👻 Follow her on Facebook for gothic humor and literary musings.

🍸 Local Shoutouts

• Windhand — Doom metal darlings of RVA
• Hiss Off — Vintage goth-meets-Y2K boutique by Sophie Smith (behind Can Can)
• Reveler at Carytown — Hosting The Embalmers & Crack Fox this Halloween
• Red Vein Haunted House — Our favorite haunted hangout (VIP tickets = worth it)
• The Gunhole at The Valentine Museum — She’s back, baby!

O Lala! This week we’re joined by Charles Inch—a criminal trial lawyer turned nervous system strategist who’s showing us how the body really holds stress and how to reset it. From murder trials to one-wheeling through RVA, Charles has seen it all and created the Neuro-Somatic Reset to help people break free from trauma and find clarity.

We chat about:

✨ What happens in the body during stress + freeze mode

✨ How the Vegas shooting became a turning point in his life

✨ His vision for Holistic Life Studios + “preventative law”

✨ Singing with the Richmond Symphony + Jeep rebuilding

Support Charles:

inchlawva.com

His YouTube Channel

His Office

His LinkedIn

Plus, you know we’ve got:

🍸 Big Daddy Drops It On Us – our first taste of the new Cirrus Vodka room in Scott’s Addition

📍 Business of the Week – Brittany Anderson’s new spot Bar Buoy

🎶 Show of the Week – Cheap Shot live at The Great American Ranch

Grab a martini (truffled if you’re fancy) and dive in—it’s deep, it’s goofy, it’s RVA. And don't forget to give us a follow, like and share!

This week we pop the cork on an unforgettable episode featuring Deon Abrams of Grayhaven Winery. From his wild days in South Africa (motorcycles, military escapades, and sneaking back into base disguised as a visitor 👀) to bringing South Africa’s signature grape, Pinotage, to Virginia, Deon’s story is equal parts action, romance, and wine-fueled comedy.

✨ What’s Inside This Episode:

• 🍇 Deon’s journey from Johannesburg → New York → Virginia wine country
• 🥂 Pinotage explained (and why it’s so special to Grayhaven)
• 🌍 The South African Food & Wine Festival: tribal dancing, drumming, peri-peri chicken, and unlimited tastings
• 🛠️ Deon’s “MacGyver” moments keeping vintages alive with duct tape, chainsaws, and sheer charm
• 🌡️ How Virginia’s climate (and the occasional hurricane) makes or breaks a vintage
• 🎶 The hosts spill on their experiences at the new RVA amphitheater—the good, the muddy, and the $14 pretzel

💡 Plus:

• Our Business of the Week: Grayhaven Winery (of course!)
• Upcoming RVA events you can’t miss—Iron Blossom Music Festival, R&B Fest, drag spectacular “Work the World,” and more
• Show of the Week: Almost Queen, a killer Queen tribute band that will rock you 💃
• Shoutouts to crispy cones, ABBA tributes, and (thankfully avoided) flesh-eating bacteria 🫠

👉 Tickets for the South African Food & Wine Festival: https://southafricanwinefestival.com/

🍷 Follow Grayhaven Winery on Instagram + Facebook to keep up with Deon, Max, and the magic.

https://grayhavenwinery.com/

https://www.instagram.com/grayhavenwinery

https://www.facebook.com/grayhaven.winery

🎧 And don’t forget to give us a follow! https://linktr.ee/olala_rva

In this episode of O Lala in RVA, we welcome Richmond legend and Filipino-American hip-hop artist Noah O. From his roots in California to becoming a central figure in RVA’s arts scene, Noah shares his journey through music, entrepreneurship, and community activism. We dive into his career beginnings, his indie label and flagship store Charged Up Entertainment, and the powerful mission behind his work.

Support Noah O:

https://www.instagram.com/chargedupnoaho/

https://noah-o.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ChargedUpNoahO

https://www.youtube.com/ChargedUpEnt

https://x.com/ChargedUpNoahO

https://www.tiktok.com/@chargedupnoaho

Big Daddy’s “Drop It On Us” Segment

Top trending 2025 international travel destinations!

Business of the Week

Charged Up – 106 W Broad St, Richmond, VA Flagship store, cultural hub, and home base for Noah O’s brand. Shop exclusive merch, discover local music, and experience RVA’s creative energy.

Band of the Week

Side Piece – eclectic mix of classic rock, country, hip-hop, and funk.

Shoutouts

• BOLO’s Eatery – new brewpub in Manchester with rooftop views.
• Duke’s Mayonnaise, Garnet’s Café, KOA Campground Shenendoah – for keeping summer tasty and adventurous.

Make sure to follow us!

This week, we’re lacing up and leveling up! Coach MJ, founder of RVA Kicks Club (and our literal fitness savior), joins the pod to talk kickboxing, self-defense, and why getting punched might just change your life—in a good way.

We talk:

• How MJ turned street fights into a full-blown fitness career
• The real difference between boxing, kickboxing, and MMA
• Why women’s sparring events are everything
• What makes RVA Kicks so different

Plus, your fave O Lala chaos:

💥 Fight or Flight game (Crocs, choreography, & ice baths)

📚 Big Daddy’s Trivia Drop: contact lenses in the ring + ancient Greek throw-downs

🎉 Local Event Picks: RVA Weens trivia night, JamPacked Festival, and more

🛍️ Business of the Week: Kindhearted Goods in Church Hill

🎶 Show of the Week: Steely Dead at The Broadberry (Yacht Rock meets Deadheads)

🍳 Restaurant Watch: Daisy’s at Tredegar is coming in hot near The Altria

MJ changed our lives (and resting heart rates). Listen in, then go take his class—just tell him O Lala sent you 💪

💚 Support RVA Kicks Club

Website: https://www.rvakicksclub.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561382486328

📍 Self-Made Training Facility – 1331 Carmia Way

💬 DM to book class or personal training—affordable, real, and full of heart

Follow us too: https://linktr.ee/olala_rva

We hit the green (and the glam) with Richmond powerhouse Leslie Marie Mosley—founder of Ladies Golf Too, host of American Dream TV, and certified vibe curator. She shares how she built a thriving, beginner-friendly golf community for women, her journey into TV, and why pickleball might just be your next obsession.

💬 Plus: – How she makes golf approachable, inclusive, and fabulous – Her fave events (Bougie Movie Night + Golfer’s Giving = goals) – Tea from House Hunters + Real Housewives run-ins (👀) – Why Richmond is in its ✨ “new era” ✨ – The caviar-level event you’ll want to crash later this month 👀

📍 Business Shoutouts:

• Ladies Golf Too – @officialladiesgolftoo
• Giorno Market – dreamy Italian market in Church Hill
• The Underground Kitchen – culinary magic with heart
• RVA Kicks Club – kickboxing, strength, sauna, and sparring
• The Hoffheimer – candlelight acoustic vibes + open mic dreams
• New Kent Winery – wine & music = perfect summer combo
• Lucky in Love Chapel – RVA’s new Vegas-style wedding spot
• Ben’s Barbershop – fresh cuts in Church Hill
• Main Line Brewery – local music + great pours

🎶 Band of the Week: The Prabir Trio – Indian-inspired rock with RVA roots

🗓️ Events Rundown: – Watermelon Fest, Anime Con, Dragon Boats, Peach Fest, and more – Waitress: The Musical now showing at Virginia Rep – Shagwüf + Sweet Tooth playing with Prabir Trio July 24 @ Broadberry

👉 Follow us @olalainrva and hit that follow button wherever you listen. 💗 Rate, review, and share with someone fabulous.