Connect with Ariel Spagnolo

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Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

What makes Richmond a great place to be out?: Richmond is a great place to be out because of the endless love, kindness and inclusivity. Richmond has done a fantastic job creating and fostering a sense of community, where love and tolerance are at the center.

What’s your favorite thing to do in the Richmond Region?: Chelsi and I love to be outdoors. If we're not walking or running throughout Bellevue, we'll ride our bikes through the Fan, go to Class and Trash to check out some cool shopping, and then head into Scott's Addition for a beer. Fun fact- we got some of our engagement pictures taken at Veil! That's our favorite Sunday.

What do you do here?: Real Estate Agent

How would you describe our LGBTQ community? I would describe our LGBTQ community as so many different things, but I think the word that describes us most is "Enthusiastic." We love, and we love hard. There's always a sense of excitement to either be involved in a new project, or welcome a newcomer to the community.

What would you tell somebody who has never been to Richmond before?: I would tell them that they need to move here and let me sell them a house! ;) All jokes aside, Richmond has something for everyone. No matter who you are, or where you're from, there is a spot for you here. There's live music, theater, festivals, beer spots, the best food ever, PRIDE and so much more!

What's your favorite store?: One of my FAVORITE places to spend WAY too much money is Mongrel on Cary Street! They always have the cutest gifts, cards, RVA items and more. I could spend hours in that store.

What's your favorite neighborhood?: This is such a hard question! I LOVE the neighborhood where I live (Rosedale) because there are people from all different walks of life, backgrounds and age groups. Not only that, but you can't walk two houses without seeing some kind of sign about "love is love" or "BLM." We radiate positivity and tolerance.

What's your favorite local restaurant and why?: Isn't RVA one of the top cities in the country for food?! This is TOO HARD! There are so many good ones to choose from. I love Fat Dragon, Sabai, L'opossom, Greek on Cary, Asado, En Su Boca (that's our date night spot!) and so, so many more!

Anything else you would like to add?:I love this city. Richmond has been my home for almost two decades, and I honestly can't imagine being anywhere else.