Richmond Through the Eyes of a Stranger

Sometimes it takes a stranger to help us appreciate our beautiful city. Recently, a local children’s fantasy author came to Richmond to visit 4 elementary schools, including Mary Munford and Fox. James Dashner, is promoting his new book, The 13th Reality.
Here’s what he had to say:

I heap praise on the 4 awesome schools we visited, I want to make 2 observations about this area around Richmond, VA.

This place is unbelievably beautiful. I mean it. I seriously want to live here. Rolling hills, farms, wheatfields, tree-lined roads, awesome architecture everywhere. All somehow magically surrounding this pretty big city. In fact, it was kind of eerie. Angie and I really thought that somehow we went through a portal and entered another world (or yes, another Reality).

Honest to goodness, we were in downtown Richmond, skyscrapers everywhere, and then 2 minutes later we were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by breathtaking scenery but not a single restaurant in sight. The Dashner Dude almost had to skip lunch and groan and whine incessantly during the last 2 presentations, but a gas station suddenly popped out of nowhere and had a deli inside. Our lives were saved at the last minute.

Based on the schools he visited and his description, I’d say he’s talking about the East End off of Route 5, an area slated to be developed into Tree Hill Farm. Tree Hill is certainly one of my favorite parts of Richmond, and I will be so sad to see it developed.
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Next came Mary Munford Elementary. Another awesome assembly, more awesome kids. Thanks to the librarian, Elena Yamashev, who had such a cool accent I could’ve talked to her all day.