DOWNTOWN TREAT:
CHEZ FOUSHEE PAGE 40
GETTING LOOSE @ THE DEUCE 2ND STREET FESTIVAL PAGE 9
Chocolate Mousse Martini Today?
CONNECTING LIVE + WORK + PLAY
TWESTIVAL: HELPS OUT TRICYCLE GARDENS PAGE 3 ALSO ON THE GRID:
LOFT LIFE BIZ SAVVY GALLERIES BOOKS WEBSITES MUSIC DESIGN COMMUNITY
FREE | ISSUE #2 | FALL 2009
rid G R E AT E R R I C H M O N D
Have You Had Your
RICHMOND
IT’S THE FABULOUS FOOD, FESTIVALS & FUN ISSUE!
AT LAST! RICHMOND CENTERSTAGE
OPENS
SPECIAL SECTION
RICHMOND
FOLK
FESTIVAL COMPLETE SCHEDULE PAGE 31
FEAST:
EXHIBITS:
4 NEW & FUN DOWNTOWN RESTAURANTS
INVADE RED DOOR GALLERY
MENUMANIA
ROBOTS
LIVE CONTENTS ONLINE COMMUNITY Hashbrown Networking
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Business Promotions & Emerging Media Social Media Club Richmond @ Fuego.
page 4 THE
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
WHAT’S
ʻModel Mondaysʼ Brings Glamor to Grace Street
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Hot Tweets
@ Quirk
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Behind the Mystique of Neo‑Burlesque
Shopping Fun!
Madison Marcus KYRA @ Pink WEARING? Tracy Wilson
PAGE 40
Peek‑a‑boo Perfect!
CONNECTING LIVE + WORK + PLAY
ALSO ON THE GRID:
LOFT LIFE BIZ SAVVY GALLERIES BOOKS WEBSITES MUSIC DESIGN WORKOUTS
Richmond Tweeple
FREE | ISSUE #1 | SUMMER 2009
LAUNCH PARTY PHOTOS : LAUREN RINKER | TED RANDLER
These ultra casual meet‑ups provide a chance for social media users, many of whom are complete strangers before the shindig, to get acquainted over good eats and tweets.
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For The Good of The People Nonprofits empowered through social media.
PREMIERE ISSUE
ʻBY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLEʼ Richmondʼs User‑Content Driven Magazine
FOOD:
ELLIE BASCH’S CAPRESE SALAD
FILM:
GREG DAYE’S NET NOIR
FACEBOOK:
KENDALL MORRIS’ MEDIA SOCIALS
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Greater Richmond Grid Launch Party
Who says you canʼt throw a rockinʼ bash on a Monday night in R‑town? Just across the river and a hard left on to Perry Street to W 7th leads you to Savor (201 West 7th Street) a kicky café run by cover chef Ellie Basch. It was the site of Greater Richmond Gridʼs packed‑to‑capacity August 3rd launch party. Artists, writers, actors, musicians as well as local social media luminaries, businesspeople and city government officials made for one lively party.
Feasting On Facebook Local eateries tap into tweet‑power. ALSO: Fine dining & FB/Flicker fun.
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COMMUNITY NEXUS Reinventing Richmond City Council President Kathy Graziano is changing the face of Richmond.
page 8 Lisa Taranto thanks the participants.
Jones & Casati at the auctioneerʼs block.
Get Loose @ The Deuce This yearʼs 2nd Street Festival will host 50,000+ visitors in Jackson Ward.
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LOFT LIFE Charming, Classic, Yet Contemporary
Richmond Twestival
Touring 212 East Clay Streetʼs blend of modern design and traditional details.
Will Sydner speaks on behalf of Tricycle Gardens.
ʻGoing Once, Going Twice...ʼ If Richmond ever needed a duo for dynamic talk show hosting, then look no fur‑ ther than to the talents of Copeland Casati (Copeland Casati Media), and Felisha Jones (That Jones Girl) who hosted September 11thʼs Richmond Twestival at The Camel (1621 West Broad Street). Greater Richmond Grid was one of the sponsors for the event that benefitted Tricycle Gardens̶the nonprofit that builds community gardens and connects urban children with nature, gardening, and food production. The auction and tweet session was a real blast and gave Tricycle Gardenʼs Director Lisa Taranto a chance to thank the participants for their support and speak of the future plans for the organization. Casati & Jonesʼ effervescent auctioning efforts raised $2,215.
And Speaking of Talk Shows... September 4thʼs Virginia This Morning hosted by Cheryl Miller and Greg McQuade on CBS6 featured Greater Richmond Gridʼs pub‑ lisher Ted Randler and Punchʼs Kendall Morris for a titillating segment on social media and the launch of the magazine.
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LIVING GREEN Design Forward Ashland craftsman Tom Lowe creates fabulous utensils from local reclaimed wood.
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Interacting With The World
TWEET TV: Randler, Morris, Miller and McQuade on the set of Virginia This Morning.
An assortment of Richmond residents discover that alternative forms of transportation can offer new perspectives on their city.
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Hashbrown Networking
WORK CONTENTS BIZ SAVVY Regional Business News page 15
MOMENTUM Fire & Angels: 15 Minutes to Secure Future Funding New companies pitch their ideas to investors at Live Fire!
page 17
Open for Business: Amazing Tales of Entrepreneurship Mac Purrington takes the plunge into small business ownership with Apple Spice Junction.
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Legal Brief: Google Books: Big Business or Public Service? Reading between the lines.
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Biz Books: The Naked and The Dow The Naked Portfolio Manager may lead you to believe it will be a yet another tell‑all book of investment corporationsʼ scandalous behavior. But read on...
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Leadership: Make Meetings Matter
Letʼs face it, thereʼs just no beating a college students.” hash brown. Crouched atop a sticky red Growing in popularity each week, stool at the Waffle House, itʼs hard to re‑ typical Twitter celebs and hash brown sist those smothered and covered pan‑ eaters found come nightfall at the Waf‑ fried potato goodies. These days fle House include @KnownHuman, Richmonders are revamping the Waffle @MattJH2, @Homesliceva, and @Kind‑ House though into a bastion for all nessGirl, just to name a few. With the things greasy and social. buzz increasing, these events are likely We have Hashbrown Networking, to move to larger venues in the future, which takes place at local Waffle House such as Dennyʼs. hot spots, to thank for morphing the vir‑ The popular, and somewhat tual world into something anonymous, “Check Out Girl” real. Already part of local leg‑ described Hashbrown Net‑ end, social media enthusiasts working best in her tweet: credit Jason Kenney (@Ja‑ “Like Twitter, but in person sonKenney and www.js‑ and with fried potatoes." Al‑ notes.com) for hatching this ways up for a social media much‑needed twist to the powwow, the Checkout Girl ever‑expanding list of social (@TheCheckOutGril) explains, media driven events popping “You don't have to be a social up in Greater Richmond. media big shot to be ac‑ Hashbrown Tweeter Typically occurring on cepted. In fact, there are no Jessica Andrews Wednesday or Thursday nametags and people just end nights at 8pm, these ultra casual meet‑ up wherever a seat is available when ups provide a chance for social media they arrive. It forces them to get to know users, many of whom are complete people that they might not, otherwise. strangers before the shindig, to get ac‑ It leads to interesting and lively discus‑ quainted over good eats and tweets. sions. Artists and techies, righties and “Most of us know one another lefties, the popular kids and the severely through Twitter, but itʼs nice to meet in underfollowed all end up finding com‑ real life in a comfortable setting that mon ground over greasy diner food.” doesnʼt exclude anyone,” explains Jes‑ To join this fun and motley lot, sica Andrews (@joshka), a frequent hash simply follow the lively conversation brown eater. “I think the informal at‑ on Twitter, by searching: mosphere helps bring together differ‑ #hashbrownnetworking ent sets of people who may not or visit www.richmondwiki.org normally network, like professionals and /wiki/Hasbrownnetworking
Meetings are normally considered the bane of our existence. So how can we make them better?
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Career Chameleon Tips Transitioning into a new career is almost inevitable these days. You need to be prepared, especially in todayʼs job market.
804‑355‑1035 Dave@palaribooks.com
T0 ADVERTISE CALL 804-355-1035
Merging Missions
Greater Richmond Grid is published in the months of
JULY, OCTOBER, JANUARY & APRIL General comments, story suggestions and letters to the editor for publication consideration should be directed to Ted Randler at
The Intersection of Art, Business & Science Dr. Adrian Shaw tours Richmond.
page 24
A Tale of Two Companies: Spinning Marketing Into Jobs
ted@theworkfactory.com.
Greater Richmond Grid & RichmondGrid.com
All rights reserved. Repro‑
© 2009 by Palari Publishing LLP
of any text, photograph or il‑
PO Box 9288 Richmond VA 23227
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duction in whole or in part lustration without written
Behind the scenes at GRP.
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804‑355‑1236 Ted@theworkfactory.com
On September 3rd, in a venue replete with a mirror ball, more apropos to hot hip swiveling and peach margaritas, Social Media Club Richmond hosted a panel discussion “Local Business and Social Media—Is It Working?” at the Fuego dance club (6008 W. Broad St ) followed by a after party at MeKong restaurant (6004 W Broad St). Panelists included Tommy Donovan, Richmond Comix; Matt Lake, Wine and Beer Westpark; An Bui, MeKong Restaurant; and Ann Marie Grohs, Morton's The Steakhouse with Punch’s Kendall Morris moderating. The dance floor was packed with attendees who were treated to discussions of why engage emerging media for business promotion; the challenges that are faced as one enters into social media marketing; and building an audience. Read more @ RichmondGrid.com.
Social Media Key
INDICATES MEMBERSHIP TO
twitter.com www.myspace.com www.facebook.com www.youtube.com www.linkedin.com
for a complete listing of the magazine’s distribution locations throughout the Greater Richmond Region. Also online, connect with Grid’s writers and photographers.
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Publisher | Senior Editor David Smitherman
RichmondGrid.com
INNOVATORS RSVPhere.com; Fuzzy Logix; Rx3 Compounding Pharmacy
+
Executive Publisher Ted Randler
Business Promotions & Emerging Media
Go to
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Crown Acura has created a unique partnership with downtown Rich‑ mondʼs own United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).
BY PAUL SPICER
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permission from the pub‑ lisher is prohibited.
Ted Randler
The articles you find in the magazine are also available online. The online icons from the Social Media Key are linked to the individualʼs various community memberships. The icons in the articles are there to inform read‑ ers that they may learn more about̶and possi‑ bly contact̶the writers and subjects of articles found in the Greater Richmond Grid. Many of the articles in print have additional ma‑ terial and/or associated web features that can be found on RichmondGrid.com. Wherever pos‑ sible, additional articles have been noted, but readers are encouraged to check the site for ex‑ panded articles and daily updates.
David Smitherman
Social Media Club Richmond VA
Do people really think some‑ oneʼs gonna answer the phone when it says “Unknown” or “Restricted?” Wish I could block calls from these callers. about 4 hours ago from Tweetie
Dear printer, Thanks for run‑ ning out of both black and color ink right before I have to give a meeting presentation and print notes for it. 10:34 AM Sep 13th from Tweetie
I canʼt wait 2 get school clos‑ ings via @henricoschools & @RPS_Schools on Twitter this winter when it snows! It really is the 21st century! 11:35 AM Sep 11th from TweetDeck
Groundswell ‑‑ itʼs already waiting on my nightstand. If I could just get off Twitter long enough to read it!
Hot Tweets @TrevorDickerson
5:00 PM Sep 3rd from UberTwitter
...And the roommates just disturbed the stillness. Good morning world. 9:08 AM Aug 30th from UberTwitter
Hubs is taking me out. This is tactic typically used to soften blow that my credit card is being revoked for “corrective purposes.” 3:27 PM Sep 16th from UberTwitter
If whining were a sport, my kids would be signing autographs right now. 8:17 AM Sep 10th from UberTwitter
See extended Tweet Talk on RichmondGrid.com
COMPILED BY PAUL SPICER
Following: 845+ | Followers: 937+ | Updates: 9,841+ TREVOR DICKERSON Web: www.trevordickerson.com Bio: “21‑year‑old VCU student, co‑owner of RVA MediaWorks, Editor of DowntownShortPump.com (@ShortPump), VP of Henrico Historical Society & Richmond.com columnist” “I tweet for a number of different reasons. First off, I enjoy sharing funny or interesting things I come across throughout the day. I live in Short Pump and go to school at VCU; two polar opposites in terms of most everything, so I often tweet about what I see in and between those two realms. I definitely have my own brand of sarcasm, too. I love making ʻsnarkyʼ commentary on a variety of thing I see around Richmond. I like comment‑ ing on news stories I think are interesting, but try to leave politics out of the mix at the same time. I'm a very non‑confrontational person.”
@Mox_eMediaGirl Following: 1723+ | Followers: 1,436+ | Updates: 1,010+ JONAH HOLLAND Web: http://mox‑emedia.com/ Bio: “Join Mox‑e Media Girl on her superhero adventures in new media marketing. Also find me here: @lewisginter” “First I should mention that I use Twitter in several ways for different purposes. For the Near West End News (@NWEN), I have it on autopilot to send out Tweets automatically when I put up a post, mainly so people can keep on top of news updates in the Near West End. With Mox‑eMedia (@Mox_eMediaGirl) Iʼm looking to build relationships and connect with peo‑ ple. Itʼs about conversation.”
7:54 AM Jul 24th from Tweetie
My twitter friends have faces. This is weird. #smcrva
RICHMOND TWEEPLE
PLAY CONTENTS RICHMOND FOLK FESTIVAL The Music Nerd Chronicles Chris Bopst tours the passion, pathos and wackiness of the Richmond Folk Festival Programming Committee.
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Complete Schedule of Richmond Folk Festival Music, Events and Resources.
page 31
FOOD Menu-Mania! Four new, fun and very different options for a night out on the town.
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The Fan District’s Taste of Cuba Freelance writer William G. Hamby enjoys Kuba Kubaʼs steamed mussels & relaxed ambience.
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Downtown Treat: Chez Foushee In addition to being a favorite during the First Fridays Artwalk, Chez Foushee continues to serve lunch weekdays and dinner twice monthly.
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GLITZ & GLAM What’s Kyra Wearing?; Exotic Essential Oils; Shopping Spree page 41
EXHIBITIONS Long Gone Various Artists @ Red Door Gallery
@JovanH Following: 475+ | Followers: 529 + | Updates: 2308+ JOVAN HACKLEY Web: http://varbuzz.com/ Bio: “PR/Mkting Maniac, media/news junkie, real equality supporter, MUSIC FANATIC “
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You Light Up My Lantern
“I started tweeting to learn about real estate issues (for work) and to keep up with current events (I'm a not‑so‑closeted news junkie). Over time my tweet‑ ing has evolved into a way to build a diverse power network of professionals, for the simple purpose of connecting them. I know a lot of people who are great at what they do and twitter's one of the ways I try to generate publicity for them.”
@Richmondmom Following: 885+ | Followers: 993 + | Updates:1,652 + KATE HALL Web: www.richmondmom.com Bio: “Laid off exec turned Mompreneur Marketing guru, mom‑of‑three and all around fun person, aka Kate Hall“ “To create and nurture relationships I may not other‑ wise have the opportunity to make. As a work‑at‑ home mom I can't always be out at networking events, and Twitter allows me the opportunity to "meet" great folks out there, learn from them, and form friendships. It's also helped me establish a pres‑ ence for Richmondmom.com, and to promote events and sales for my customers, as I often re‑tweet their announcements to my followers.”
1708 Gallery presented a series of lantern making workshops.
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SONGFEST Creating Your Own ‘Season Ticket’ Music critic Petie Bogen‑Garrettʼs guide to regional listening houses.
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ONSTAGE The Show Must Go On After years in the making, Richmond CenterStage launches a new era of entertainment and arts in Downtown.
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Bootleg Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet Itʼs about as far from Masterpiece Theatre as you can get.
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PAGE VIEWS Elvis Presley, Shirley MacLaine & Jimmy Dean, Oh My! New book celebrates Richmondʼs colorful creative dynasty.
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DON’T JUST SIT THERE.
DO SOMETHING!
Your best resource for sports, recreation AVAILABLE NOW! and wellness in Greater Richmond. JULY | AUGUST In print and online at SBQnow.com ISSUE C a l l ( 8 0 4 ) 3 5 5 - 1 0 3 5 fo r a d i n fo.
LIVE
For the Good of the People
Nate Gutierrez (right) serves up tacos from his famous taco truck.
Feasting On Facebook An Bui likes beer. beer fans began ap‑ Thereʼs no getting pearing at Mekongʼs around it. He likes it a doorstep. “Normally lot. In fact, itʼs blazed we were getting about onto his t‑shirts, his 40 people at each voice mail message en‑ event, but once we thusiastically lets you started using Face‑ know that heʼll call you book to promote it we back once he sobers up, An Bui is all about the beer. began seeing 100, and he heads up a cadre of buzzed then 200, and now over 300 people craft brew enthusiasts that call at each beer club,” explains Bui. themselves “Anʼs Beer Club.” In re‑ The legendary Nateʼs Taco cent months, however, a second fa‑ Truck (@NatesTacoTruck) in Greater vorite pastime̶Facebook̶is Richmond has also witnessed simi‑ quickly spiking for this self‑pro‑ lar results by turning to the olʼ claimed “Beer Meister.” Tweet box. Using Twitter to update “Facebook saved me this his hungry fans, Nate Gutierrez reg‑ year,” reports Richmondʼs favorite ularly tweets the whereabouts of tippler. As owner of Mekong, a his taco factory on wheels. For ex‑ Broad Street landmark since 1995, ample, a typical post from this pop‑ this Facebook enthusiast is quick to ular Richmonder will read: “Taco credit social media for amping up truck will be at VCU from 11:30‑2:30 not only beer sales, but the overall today, and at the Byrd House Mar‑ buzz for his restaurant, which serves ket from 3:30‑7pm. holla!” or “too authentic Vietnamese cuisine. rainy for tacos today. We will be at To celebrate his revered collec‑ VCU tomorrow for lunch.” While his tion of Belgian and American craft frito pies may be all the rage, Nateʼs beer, Bui began “Anʼs Beer Club” practical̶yet fun̶use of social with a small yet feisty fan base. It media provides his followers with wasnʼt until Bui, along with the help real‑time updates, the location of of social media devotees like Nhat his tasty eats, and yet another way Pham (@NhatPham), created a to chitchat with the man behind all Facebook Group that a large knot of the hubbub.
Catch a Q&A with Nate Gutierrez on RichmondGrid.com EMERGING MEDIA ARTICLES BY PAUL SPICER
Attention FB Foodies:
Both The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing and T‑Millerʼs Sports Bar & Grill are also mixing it up on so‑ cial platforms. With the riverfront views attracting the masses to the recent opening of The Boat‑ house, it proved a natural fit to encourage foodies to begin sharing their fan photos on Flickr and Facebook. T‑Millerʼs (@TMillersRVA) enjoyed a similar instant boomlet of followers upon opening its doors both in reality and on Twitter in recent weeks. While T‑Millerʼs digs may sit in close proxim‑ ity to historic landmarks, Thalhimers and Miller & Rhoads, this eatery uses technology as a central part of their pitch. You can find these sports fiends on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Most im‑ portantly, the goal of their online shenanigans is to drive patrons towards face‑to‑face interaction. See MENU‑MANIA! on page 36 for more on these two new Downtown dining delights. Kira Siddall
An Bui
Nathaniel Gutierrez
Online Community
NonProfits Nonprofit professionals, do‑good‑ ers, and community leaders have Tap into the Tweet Trend long turned to creative measures to Other Richmond‑based non‑prof‑ its, like Venture Rich‑ fatten their coffers and mond (@VentureRIC), raise awareness. have used social media Thereʼs probably no in an equally impressive better example than fashion to garner size‑ tossing your boss off able results. As a pro‑ the edge of a 25‑story moter of the vitality of building, and then the community, espe‑ bragging about it on cially Downtown, Ven‑ Twitter and Facebook. ture Richmond serves River City Rappel as a catalyst for eco‑ will entice local busi‑ Kira Siddall plans to nomic development nesses to “Toss Your rappel and tweet. and citywide promo‑ Boss,” as well as individ‑ tion, as evidenced by the events uals to go “Over the Edge,” to ben‑ launched on a regular basis (Friday efit Special Olympics Virginia Cheers, Easter on Parade, 2nd October 9–10th, in Richmond. To Street Festival, and more). Venture increase the buzz, netizens will take to social media, many live‑tweeting Richmond is also particularly adept at partnering with other organiza‑ on their descent. tions, and using social media to en‑ “Social media lowers the bar‑ hance the media attention for rier of entry to philanthropy,” ex‑ landmark festivities like Dominion plains Kira Siddall, who not only Riverrock and the Richmond Folk helps Special Olympics increase awareness via social media, but Festival. The new media‑inspired folks at Venture Richmond can plans to also personally rappel dur‑ often be found posting videos of ing Octoberʼs festivities. recent events on YouTube and Siddall, who is the Production Facebook, as well as effectively Director for Social Media Club Rich‑ stroking̶and listening̶to the mond, adds, “It shows how small crowd on Twitter. efforts like spreading the word Others in the Richmond com‑ through status donations, support‑ munity outside of the nonprofit ing tweets and small online dona‑ tions can add up̶both in dollars arena, such as AnnMarie Grohs, and awareness raised. Itʼs also an have also used social tools to fun‑ inexpensive way for nonprofits to nel attention back to charities of interact with their audience and their choice. Grohs (@amgrohs), the mastermind behind Mortonʼs The build relationships with new sup‑ Steakhouse in Richmond, recently porters, they can ʻfriend raiseʼ be‑ orchestrated Mortonʼs Philan‑ fore they ʻfundraise.ʼ” thropy Week, where carnivores Bosses to be tossed in the Oc‑ consumed copious amounts of tober event include the likes of beef for a worthy cause. Using her Donnie Knowlson, Sr. Vice Presi‑ personal brand of publicity, con‑ dent of Virginia Farm Bureau Insur‑ sisting of a mix of humor and ance Services and Scott Walker, kitchen antics, Grohs helped bring CEO of Ironworks Consulting. Top attention to this third, semi‑annual Tweeple going over the edge in‑ event, benefiting Valentine History clude Whitney Martin (@Whit‑ Center, Jewish Family Services, Styles), Edward Baldwin Comfort Zone Camp, Beacon Tree, (@edwardbbaldwin), Adam Cun‑ Children's Museum, and Greater ningham (@Cunningham_adam), Richmond SCAN. and Sharif Ewees (@Sharif28).
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Reinventing Richmond
“ ”
Richmond is a great city.
Graziano:
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KATHY GRAZIANOʼS OFFICE
“It has great parks, it has great restaurants, it has great life quality; and a fabulous place to bring your kids. ”
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CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT KATHY GRAZIANO IS CHANGING THE FACE OF RICHMOND WITH COMMUNITY AND FAMILY‑DRIVEN GOALS BY LAUREN RINKER
During her five years on the Richmond City Council, Kathy Graziano has always had big plans for Richmond. Becoming Council Presi‑ dent was something sheʼd wanted to do to help implement her ideas for the city, but never believed she actually would until January 2009 when she was appointed to the position. Graziano describes her Council Presidency as a fusion of her desire to reinvent Rich‑ mond with the encouragement by others to have her lead the city into the future. “There were people who thought it would be a good idea if I ran for it, and I had council people who thought that was a good idea, so it wasnʼt something that I ever thought I would do,” she recalls. “But now Iʼm doing it. It sort of evolved.” David Hathcock, Fourth District Council Liaison, describes this evolution of Graziano into Council President. “The truth about it is that for four years she had developed an intellectual leadership of council, and that she had been a person of ideas who could de‑ velop coalitions to get her ideas passed. And when it came time to replace Mr. Pan‑ tele, I think the other mem‑ bers of Council looked around and said, ʻWho can we work with? Who can best represent us on a local, regional, and statewide scale? And who can we count on to get things done? She got there because she earned it and she got there because sheʼs best at it.” Graziano hopes to unite Richmondʼs nine districts to work as one body. “In order for Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Goochland, Charles City, Powhatan, and Richmond to move forward, we need to work as a region. We donʼt work as a region; weʼre just these little isolated governmental entities that canʼt compete in a worldwide market.” Also laboring for living options for Richmondʼs underprivileged, Graziano says that affordable housing̶which will break up concen‑ trated areas of poverty̶is the key to advancing the city into the fu‑ ture. “As long as you have these pockets of poverty which were established in the ʼ50s, you have a very hard time moving this city forward.” But when reinventing the city, Graziano warns that we must be careful with these areas. “If you take all of your impoverished peo‑ ple and put them in one place, they donʼt have role models. You have to start putting them in neighborhoods where people donʼt have a sense of entitlement, where people are hardworking.” Up until recently, the emphasis on affordable homes has been on building new, cost‑effective housing. Graziano hopes to change this strategy in favor of exploring what the city already has to offer in existing properties. “What weʼre working on now is what housing
“In order for Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Goochland, Charles City, Powhatan, and Richmond to move forward, we need to work as a region.”
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stock do we have today that is affordable in a decent neighbor‑ hood?” she explains. “We have a lot out there that already exists, so what can we do to that hous‑ ing stock that makes you want to buy it? There are some things that maybe we need to do to these neighborhoods to encourage people to go into them̶thatʼs sort of what weʼre doing now.” Graziano, a mother of four and a grandmother of six, im‑ merses herself in her family̶keeping up with the swim teams and other sporting events in which her grandchil‑ dren participate. “I do City Coun‑ cil and my family. Thatʼs basically it,” she says. A native of New York, she moved to Richmond when her husband was offered a job and has remained here for 40 years. “New York is great, but itʼs so expensive,” she explains. “Richmond is a great city. It has great parks, it has great restau‑ rants, it has great life quality; and a fabulous place to bring your kids.” While Graziano loves going to Maymont Park, Mary Mum‑ ford, and The Science Museum of Virginia with her family, she feels very connected to Forest Hill Park. Over the years, her children and her grandchildren have played in the park. Grazianoʼs early Saturday ritual (after her morning run) includes going to the South of the James Farmersʼ Market, where local food ven‑ dors sell produce and homemade items that are too good for Graziano to pass up. Graziano is proud to serve as President of a city that she loves to live in, experience, and share with others. She de‑ scribes Richmond as a city that is small enough to live in but not too small or too large to sacrifice the quality of life. “You can have a really good life here and you donʼt have to be a millionaire.”
CELEBRATE THE UNIQUE HISTORY OF A VITAL CENTER OF RICHMONDʼS AFRICAN‑AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
The festival actually kicks off Friday, Oct. 2, at 201 W. Broad St. with the unveiling of the 2009 2nd Street Poster by Larry “Poncho” Brown (shown in his studio), in conjunction with First Fridays Artwalk. Brown will be on hand to sign the limited edition posters.
[Above] Brown’s “On the Main Stage” image that he created for the 2008 2nd Street Festival.
Venture Richmond
BY LISA MONROE For people who live in or have connections to the cityʼs Jackson Ward community, the festival is a homecoming and an event which theyʼre proud to call their own. Itʼs important to this neighborhood and has played a subtle role in its residential revitalization, accord‑ ing to Mavis Wynn and Sharon Bassard, key festival organizers for Venture Richmond. Venture Richmond produces the annual festival, which is pre‑ sented in 2009 by the City of Richmond, Dominion and Verizon. “A lot of Richmonders here might not see each other for a year, but they know theyʼll see each other at the festival. Itʼs like a home‑ coming,” says Bassard, Events and Booking Manager, whoʼs helped put the festival together for almost a decade. “Itʼs a great weekend,” says Lynda Sharp Anderson, who missed the festival once in its 20 years because she was getting married. The festival reunites people from not only Jackson Ward, but Rich‑ mond and even the surrounding counties, she says. “Itʼs family. Itʼs re‑ union. Itʼs music. And the weather always seems to be great.” Anderson, Director of the Virginia Department of Business As‑ sistance, used to attend the festival because of her connections with the Metro Business League, but now goes as a citizen. This year, sheʼll attend with her husband Dolson Anderson, but thereʼs one person she knows sheʼll miss. Thatʼs the late Waverly Crawley, 2nd Streetʼs unofficial mayor. “He was greeted and loved by everyone,” says Anderson, who re‑ called how Crawley would set up his own “boog‑a‑loo” dance area at the festival. “I miss him so much.” The festivalʼs Waverly R. Crawley Main Stage now memorializes this beloved Jackson Ward resident. “Everyone always comes back home for the Two Street Festival,” says Ray Taylor, whoʼs also only missed one festival in 20 years. He runs Rayʼs Dog House at 1st and Marshall and sets up a festival booth each year. “Letʼs get loose at the Deuce,” reads a special banner on his fes‑ tival menus, a message symbolic of the festivalʼs celebratory, yet mel‑
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Community Nexus
NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL IT̶TWO STREET, DEUCE OR 2ND STREET FESTIVAL, THIS BIG WEEKEND EVENT IS ONE OF THE MID‑ATLANTICʼS LAST GREAT STREET FESTIVALS. SET FOR OCT. 3‑4, THE FESTIVAL TYPICALLY HOSTS 50,000 VISITORS WHO COME TO
LIVE
Get Loose @The Deuce
low atmosphere. “You get to see about every‑ one,” says Taylor, a native of Richmondʼs Church Hill area. While selling his popular bologna burgers, chicken wings, barbecue ribs and hot dogs, he reconnects with old classmates and even some old school teachers. Heʼs seen major growth at the festival, which began in 1989 as a one‑night, one‑block kickoff party held by the Valen‑ tine Museum to celebrate the showing of a film about 2nd Street. The festival now encom‑ passes a four‑block area with great food, entertainment and activities spanning the first full weekend in October every year. There used to be no whites, Taylor says, noting that the crowd is now becoming more mixed. Younger people also come to the festival who really donʼt know 2nd Streetʼs history. What does Taylor hope they learn? “It is one of the most fa‑ mous streets in Richmond,” he says, once home to educator Maggie L. Walker, and the loca‑ tion of the Hippodrome, which drew great entertainers like Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Lena Horne, Ray Charles and Bill “Bo‑ jangles” Robinson. Many of these performers stayed at the Eggleston Hotel, one of the only places for blacks to spend the night before inte‑ gration. And the hotelʼs restau‑ rant, Neverettʼs Place, was an eating spot for Willie Mays, Joe Louis, Louis Armstrong, Redd Foxx and other famous blacks. In the ʼ40s, it really was the hub of the African‑American commu‑ nity, says Wynn, Venture Rich‑ mondʼs Events Operations Manager, who has helped organ‑ ize the festival for 11 years. Itʼs a way of “paying tribute to those who paved the way for us,” says Richmond Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr., whoʼs attended the festival many years. “I worked it as a police officer for the City of Richmond and the family in‑ volvement with friends and
neighbors showing love and unity really touches my heart,” he says. “ʻUnityʼ is the most important word in community which means we are together not just to have fun, but to show love and bring solutions to our problems with our social issues with educa‑ tion, health, public safety to include provid‑ ing for those who cannot help themselves.” But all seriousness aside, the festival is also just plain exciting and a whole lot of fun, according to the Sheriff, who says one time he got a verbal reprimand from his su‑ pervisor for dancing in uniform as a cop on duty. “I am looking forward to dancing this time as Sheriff and no one can write me up,” he added.
welcome in Richmond where they perform several times a year. “They treat me like Iʼm family. The want to take pictures and sign autographs and Iʼm happy to do it,” he says. “I appreciate the love that they give us. And
Mavis Wynn (left), and Sharon Bassard, Event Managers for Venture Richmond have produced the 2nd Street Festival together for six years. Mavis worked on the festival previously for an additional five years.
Everything from Funk to Go‑Go to Gospel Entertainment is a big draw for the crowds, with four stages running different lineups on Saturday and Sunday. Headlining on the main stage at 2nd and Marshall this year is the popular ʼ70s and early ʼ80s funk band SLAVE, slated to play 8:15 p.m. Saturday. Opening for SLAVE is E.U., a D.C. go‑go band well‑known for the “Da Butt” song and a crowd favorite at last yearʼs Richmond Folk Festival. “Come on out and bring the dancing shoes because weʼre gonna party,” says Sugar Bear, E.U.ʼs lead singer and bass gui‑ tarist. The only remaining original member of the 8‑person band, he encourages area college students to come out to celebrate, adding “I canʼt wait.” The band will, of course, play “Da Butt” and other favorites like “Shake Your Thang” and “Taste of Your Love,” plus several new tunes like “Bearʼs Melody” and “Get Your Freak On.” E.U. plays up and down the East Coast, but Sugar Bear says they always get a warm
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they are familiar with our history so that makes it even better.” Many of the great black street festivals in the East are no longer held, says Sugar, like the Malcolm X Day Festival once held in D.C. Taylor, who vends his hot dogs up and down the coast, agreed. Also on the main stage Saturday, a Grace and Company Fashion Show will be held at 3 p.m. Gospel music will be show‑ cased on Sunday, with groups such as the Richmond Boys Choir, and Larry Bland and the Volunteer Choir. The Joe Kennedy Jr. Jazz Stage at 3rd and Clay will feature a nice lineup of jazz performers Saturday and Sunday including the James “Saxsmo” Gates Quartet, Sha‑ nniece James, Klaxton Brown, Van Lighty &
QED Jazz and many more. “Richmond Jazz Society is proud to continue to present great jazz music at the Joe Kennedy, Jr. Jazz Stage at the 2nd Street Festival,” says BJ Brown, Executive Director of the Richmond Jazz So‑ ciety. “Our mentor, Joe Kennedy, Jr., was renowned internationally as a virtuoso vio‑ linist and educator. It is fitting that we, the City of Richmond, honor him each year with great jazz music from our established and up‑and‑coming Jazz artists.” The Bistro Stage at 1st and Clay will highlight a variety of entertainers both days including the Rumba Drummers, the FLTI Steel Pan Orchestra and more, while the Community Stage at 2nd and Leigh will fea‑ ture area performers from churches, schools and other groups. The festival actually kicks off Friday, Oct. 2, at 201 W. Broad St. with the unveil‑ ing of the 2009 2nd Street Poster by Larry “Poncho” Brown, in conjunction with First Fridays Artwalk. Brown will be on hand to sign the limited edition posters. Heʼll be set up at 2nd and Clay in Artistʼs Row through‑ out the festival with other artists including Randall Walters, Kelvin W. Henderson and Greg Paige. Kidʼs Zone will be held again this year in the 2nd Street parking lot between Clay and Leigh. There will be hands‑on activi‑ ties and face painting, as well as balloon twisting and temporary tattoos by Bal‑ loons by Extreme. For those who want food, thirteen vendors will offer everything from catfish and shrimp poʼ boys, and red beans and rice, to turkey burgers, collard greens and corn bread. There will also be a huge variety of items to see and purchase with 25 mer‑ chandise vendors on hand from as far away as Wisconsin. “Mark the dates on your calendar and come out and have fun,” encourage Wynn and Bassard. They call themselves the “dy‑ namic duo” because theyʼll make sure everything runs smoothly throughout the festival weekend. Can they set us straight on the correct name of the festival? Well, they say the fes‑ tival was called Two Street Festival until 1994 when it was renamed 2nd Street Fes‑ tival, but they admit a lot of people still call it Deuce Festival, and others like Ray Taylor still call it “Two Street.” No matter, itʼs a great way to acknowl‑ edge and celebrate one of the most historic and important areas of the city.
2nd Street Festival in Jackson Ward
Tunji Band Grace & Company Fashion Show RADIO ONE presentation Plunky and Oneness E.U. SLAVE
JOE KENNEDY JR. JAZZ STAGE (3rd & Clay Streets) 12:15‑1:05pm Billy Williams Quartet – Straight Ahead Jazz 1:25 ‑ 2:15pm Doc Branch & The Keynotes – Jazz Standards 2:35‑ 3:25pm Glennroy & Company – Contemporary Jazz Flute & Vocals 3:45‑ 4:35pm Hugo Jackson & Sounds of Elegance – Sophisticated Jazz 4:55‑ 5:45pm Beast Wellington – Progressive Jazz Fusion 6:05‑ 6:55pm Klaxton Brown – Jazzy Rhythm and Blues 7:15‑ 8:05pm Sha‑nniece James – Smooth Jazz 8:25‑ 9:25pm James “Saxsmo” Gates Quartet – Bebop and Beyond BISTRO STAGE (1st & Clay Streets) 12:00– 12:45pm Rumba Drummers 1:00 – 2:15pm Smooth Sensation 2:45 – 3:30pm Ban Caribe 4:00 – 4:30pm 4‑H MBC 5:00‑ 6:15pm Skyline
Richmond’s own saxophonist J. Plunky Branch fronts Plunky and Oneness. Rooted in jazz, Plunky delves into soul, funk, gospel and hip-hop territory. Among many numerous accomplishments, he is a songwriter, a film producer, and President of N.A.M.E. Brand Records, through which he has released 21 albums. His single “Drop,” from the album Cold Heat, got heavy rotation on the national air waves and Plunky a Grammy nomination. For more on Plunky, check out www.plunkyone.com.
EGGLESTON HOTEL COMMUNITY STAGE (2nd & Leigh Streets) 12:30– 1:00pm Shaolin Dragon School of Kung Fu 1:30– 2:00pm T‑Starz 2:15– 2:45pm Richmond Youth Jazz Guild 3:00– 4:00pm City Dance Theatre 4:30– 5:15 pm Sisterly Grace Ministry Fashion Show Sunday, October 4 WAVERLY R. CRAWLEY MAIN STAGE (2nd & Marshall Streets) 1:00 – 1:30pm One Voice Chorus 2:00– 2:30pm Spiritual Harmonizers 2:45– 3:15pm MʼRenee 3:45– 4:30pm Larry Bland and the Volunteer Choir 5:00– 6:00pm Richmond Boys Choir JOE KENNEDY JR. JAZZ STAGE (3rd & Clay Streets) 1:00‑ 1:50pm Mike Hawkins & the Jazz‑Pel Choir – Gospel Jazz 2:10 – 3:00pm Desiree Roots – Classic Lady of Song 3:20– 4:10pm Van Lighty & QED Jazz – Mainstream Jazz 4:30‑ 5:30pm Debo Dabney & The Happy Band – The Total Musical Experience
E.U., a D.C. go-go band well-known for the “Da Butt” song and a crowd favorite at last year’s Richmond Folk Festival will introduce several new tunes like “Bear’s Melody” and “Get Your Freak On” at this year’s 2nd Street Festival.
BISTRO STAGE (1st & Clay Streets) 1:30– 1:30pm Tisa 2:00– 2:30pm A. Alexander Singers 3:00– 3:30pm FLTI Steel Pan Orchestra 4:00– 5:00pm Grace and Company Fashion Strut
Headlining on the main stage at 2nd and Marshall this year is the popular ’70s and early ’80s funk band SLAVE, slated to play 8:15 p.m. Saturday.
EGGLESTON HOTEL COMMUNITY STAGE (2nd & Leigh Streets) 1:30 – 2:00pm Talents of Meadowbrook High School 2:30 – 3:00pm Shaolin Dragon School of Kung Fu 3:30– 4:30pm St. Paulʼs Baptist Church Men of Step 4:30– 5:00pm First African Baptist Church Orchestra
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Community Nexus
1:30 ‑ 2:30 pm 3:00– 3:30 pm 4:00 –4:30 pm 5:00 ‑6:00 pm 6:30–7:30 pm 8:15 –10:00PM
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Saturday, October 3 WAVERLY R. CRAWLEY MAIN STAGE (2ND & Marshall Streets) 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm TBA
LOFT LIFE
Charming, Classic, Yet Contemporary IT MAKES SENSE THAT SOMEONE WHO HAS MADE A CAREER OF SELLING CLASSIC LUXURY CARS WOULD BE DRAWN TO 212 EAST CLAY STREETʼS TRADITIONAL DETAILS Renovation enthusi‑ ast Michael Falcone might finally be slow‑ ing down, at least in the rehabbing de‑ partment. Falcone was transferred to Richmond years ago for his job as manager of a Porsche dealership. During that time, he has reno‑ vated and sold several places until he finally decided he wanted a low‑maintenance space to call home. “I was looking for a place thatʼs easy to maintain,” Falcone says. “I also like a place thatʼs got some history, and I knew Ron Stallings [of Walker Row Partnership] had done a great job of retaining the history of this building.” Originally built in 1931, the Georgian Revival, brick building housed the Southern Aid Society of Virginia. Stallings transformed the facility into the 12 units of 212 East Clay Condominiums in Jackson Ward.
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The impressive building lobby grandly displays the original granite walls and ter‑ razzo floors.
Though the condominiumʼs design of‑ fers an open floor plan and sleek appliances in the main living, dining and kitchen areas; high ceilings, bead board wainscot, parquet floors and crown molding give a sense of traditional character. Falcone has reinforced the blend of modern and classic by offset‑ ting his collection of antique furniture with focal points of contemporary lithographs, sculptures and paintings. Down the print‑lined hall, conservative warm grays and yellows create a tranquil color scheme throughout the den and bed‑ room. For Falcone, his pet parrot, and his Dalmatian, the condo is a sophisticated, yet homey, sanctuary Downtown. And when heʼs ready to interact with the city, all he has to do is step out his front door. Heʼs able to walk to First Fridays or a local restaurant and commute to the dealer‑ ship in Midlothian in about 15 minutes. Falcone sums it up, “This space lives well for me.”
LIVE Creative Spaces
Falcone has reinforced the blend of modern and classic by osetting his collection of antique furniture with focal points of contemporary prints, sculptures and paintings.
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LIVING GREEN
DESIGN FORWARD
INTERACTING WITH THE WORLD
Scalin bikes it in Battery Park.
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ASSORTMENT OF RICHMOND RESIDENTS DISCOVER THAT ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION CAN OFFER NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THEIR CITY̶AS WELL AS INTER‑ ESTING LIFESTYLE OPTIONS BOTH ECONOMICAL & GREEN.
It’s fitting that Grid discovered Ashland craftsman Tom Lowe (carvedwoodbowls.com) selling his handcarved bowls and utensils during First Fridays Artwalk. Each piece is unique and beautiful plus utilitarian. A mineral oil-beeswax paste coats the wood items allowing their use for serving bread, salad, fruit, nuts, dips and chips. And what’s more, Lowe’s work is extremely Earth-friendly, 90% of the wood comes from Central Virginia and the remaining 10% is found in the mountains or tidewater area. All the wood comes from fallen or dying trees that have been cut by homeowners or businesses. Lowe likes the idea of “salvaging a tree that would have otherwise been burned or tossed into a landfill.”
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hen local artist But he prefers to have Noah Scalin re‑ only limited automobile turned to Rich‑ access. “If I have a car at mond after several years my disposal and Iʼm living in New York City, feeling tired, Iʼm defi‑ he wanted to preserve nitely going to use it,” the car‑free lifestyle to Scalin admits. which he had grown ac‑ Amelia Glissman Building Manager customed. For both health and Amelia Glissman, who relin‑ economic reasons, he says, “I quished her car when she fin‑ didnʼt want to enter into the ished college, views driving as world of car culture.” Although burdensome. “The level of stress Scalin describes Richmond as that a car involves, people donʼt “driving centric,” he argues realize,” says Glissman. that, with effort, “I think itʼs When she moved to Rich‑ possible to be completely car mond from suburban Chicago, free in Richmond.” Glissman chose to live in Scalin has Shockoe Bot‑ designed his life tom, a neigh‑ to eliminate the borhood that need for a per‑ would afford sonal motor vehi‑ her easy walk‑ cle. He operates ing access to his graphic design her job and business from his other routine home in Battery stops. She, like Park, a neighbor‑ Scalin, has hood he chose in arranged her part for its easy life to accom‑ bicycle access, modate her de‑ and bikes to Vir‑ sire to remain ginia Common‑ car free, buying wealth University groceries each Kolatz braves the to teach classes. day after her rain in Carytown. Scalin does workout at a have access to his motherʼs car, neighborhood gym and turning for which he pays part of the in‑ to the Internet for items that surance in a form of car sharing. would be difficult to carry or
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Harry Kollatz Jr.
arenʼt available nearby. “Iʼm a master online shopper,” she says. Glissman also values the time that she spends on foot as a means by which to be‑ come more acquainted with the communities she trav‑ erses. She explains, “Thatʼs when I see flyers of things to do, such as restaurants, local festivals, political events," adding, “When youʼre driving, youʼre in a time warp.” Harry Kollatz, a senior writer for Richmond Magazine, echoes Glissmanʼs view, saying, “When youʼre walking, you in‑ teract with the world in a much different way than you would if you were in a car.” In addition to Scalinʼs and Glissmanʼs pedaling and hoof‑ ing lifestyle, Kollatz embraces the Greater Richmond Transit Companyʼs (GRTC) service as an efficient̶and convenient rainy day alternative̶to getting around town. As a Fan resident, he enjoys the easy access to bus stops. Kollatz, who shares a single car with his wife, points out that peo‑ ple shouldnʼt overlook using bus transportation as an option̶cit‑ ing the positive aspects that GRTC is a “thrifty and environmentally‑ conscious alternative.” Noting other transportation modes with a smaller carbon footprint, Kollatz says that he has seen an increase usage in scooters and bikes on the road. He also observes, “Iʼm seeing a greater variety of people on some bus lines.” Chelsea Lahmers, owner and general manager of Scoot Richmond, also suggests that there is a trend toward city res‑ idents seeking alternative modes of transportation, noting that, “Of late, weʼve definitely seen an up‑tick in folks getting rid of their cars altogether. Iʼm going to guess that it is more than ever before.” BY ANIKA IMAJO
Anika Imajo has a background in pub‑ lishing and enjoys freelance writing.
Noah Scalin
Chelsea Lahmers
Dr. E.L. Kersten
On October 29th the annual Greater Richmond Companies to Watch (GRCTW ) event̶held at the Capital Ale House (623 E Main Street)̶will feature the founder of Despair Inc., Dr. E.L. Kersten, Ph.D. If youʼve seen those corpo‑ rate motivational posters̶the picture of a sunset or mountain with a word like “Motivation” or “Teamwork”̶Kerstenʼs “Demo‑ tivator” products prove a wor‑ thy parody. Despair, Inc is a company based in Austin, Texas, that pro‑ duces posters and souvenirs that satirize the motivational in‑
doctrination common in corpo‑ rate environments. Their products parody the grandiose imagery and solemn language of “Successories”̶a range of motivational products. Examples include: • MEETINGS: None of us is as dumb as all of us. • BLAME: The secret to success is knowing who to blame for your failures. • DREAMS: Dreams are like rainbows. Only idiots chase them. Greater Richmondʼs Compa‑ nies to Watch is a project devel‑ oped by the Venture Forum to identify, publicize, and highlight selected businesses deemed to have the ability to become sig‑ nificant contributors to the areaʼs economy in the future. As of July 2009, it is esti‑ mated that all 44 past GRCTW selections are still in operation. Since the first selection in 2005, nearly two dozen GRCTW selected companies have gone on to raise venture capital, raised significant pri‑ vate investment, or had a suc‑ cessful sale of the company.
Virginia Rates #1 in U.S. Business Ranking CNBCʼs July 2009 annual ranking of the best states for business placed Virginia first in the nation. CNBC ranked states based on 40 measures of competitiveness in 10 broad categories: cost of doing busi‑ ness; business friendliness; work force; economy; educa‑ tion; quality of life; technol‑ ogy and innovation; transportation and infrastruc‑ ture; cost of living; and access to capital.
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine touted the CNBC ranking as Virginiaʼs seventh No. 1 best‑ for‑business ranking during his term. Five of those top spots came from two media organizations; two came from a corporate relocation con‑ sulting firm. “The way CNBC put it, it has been an economy turned upside‑down, and everybody has been suffering, but they are looking at how we are poised for the future” Kaine said.
Get more business features, resources and events on RichmondGrid.com.
Working Mother Cites McGuireWoods Best Law Firm for Women The 50 Best Law Firms for Women and their work/life and women‑ friendly policies were highlighted in the August/September issue of Working Mother Magazine and at and www.flextimelawyers.com. And the list included Richmondʼs McGuireWoods firm. “The recession has created a shift in the legal in‑ dustry and now is the time to push through mutually‑ beneficial, cost‑ef‑ fective reforms that directly ben‑ efit work‑life bal‑ ance and allow working moms to succeed both at home and in the court room,” said Carol Evans, Pres‑ ident, Working Mother Media. “We salute the 2009 Best Law Firms for recognizing that making the legal profession work for women is good business for everyone.”
Ektron Inc. Opens a New Office in Richmond Brian Browning to head com‑ pany's Mid‑Atlantic technology and web content management software services. As the director of Ektronʼs Mid‑Atlantic Professional Serv‑ ices team, Browningʼs responsi‑ bilities include the oversight of Ektron‑based web content man‑ agement projects produced as part of the larger Ektron Profes‑ sional Services team. His focus will also be on providing pre‑sales support for the Ektron sales team and en‑ suring that customers are able to maximize their investment with Ektron CMS400.NET. Founded in 1998, Ektron pro‑ vides scalable web content man‑ agement and authoring solutions.
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Biz Savvy
Virginia Commonwealth Uni‑ versity is among the top em‑ ployers for older workers in the United States for the fifth con‑ secutive year. VCU places 24th on the 2009 list of the AARP Best Em‑ ployers for Workers Over 50 – the same spot it held on the list a year ago. The AARP honor is designed to highlight exem‑ plary policies toward workers aged 50 and over. Key areas of consideration for the award are recruiting practices; opportunities for training; education and career development; workplace ac‑ commodations; alternative work options, such as flexible scheduling, job sharing and phased retirement; employee health and retirement benefits and retiree work opportunities. More than 200 employers ap‑ plied this year for the Best Em‑ ployers list, the highest total of applicants in the nine‑year his‑ tory of the program. “It is a great honor for AARP to have recognized VCU five consecutive years for our work with older workers,” said Cindy Andrews, executive direc‑ tor for human resources at VCU. “Employees over the age of 50 are critical contributors to the universityʼs mission, and we have provided close attention to the particular issues that they face, offering an always‑evolv‑ ing list of services and opportu‑ nities that help them in their careers and lives.” Thirty‑seven percent of the workforce at VCU is 50 or older, and those employees have an average tenure of 15.5 years.
Founder of Despair Inc. to Headline ‘Greater Richmond Companies to Watch’
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AARP Names VCU a Boon for Boomers
BIZ SAVVY
A Sleek Downtown Steeped in History USA Today.com Featured James River‑Kanawha Canal in ʻGreat Places to Stream Through Cities.ʼ USA Today.com asked Kit Cramer, president of the International Downtown Association, a non‑ profit organization that promotes creative devel‑ opment, for her list of great places to take a boat ride. In their “10 Great Places to Stream Through Cities” article, Richmondʼs Kanawha Canal rates as a must‑see destination. “Passengers on the River District Canal Cruises tour through Richmondʼs past and present,” Cramer said in the article. “Towering stone abutments from a railroad bridge destroyed in the Civil War are phantom reminders of the city's role in history.” Highlighting Downtownʼs unique blend of past and present, the article also points to the “Sleek sky‑ scrapers representing major corporate headquarters that symbolize its importance today.”
RiverFront Investment Group, LLC Assets Cross $1 Billion RiverFront Investment Group, LLC, a Richmond, Virginia‑based registered investment advisor, announced in August that its as‑ sets under management now ex‑ ceed $1 billion. In April of last year, Michael Jones, Rod Smyth, and Doug Sandler left Wachovia Se‑ curities to join Pete Quinn, also formerly of Wachovia Securi‑ ties, in launching RiverFront In‑ vestment Group. Last June, ten of their former colleagues joined the firm, completing their initial staffing plans. Since that time, RiverFront's assets have grown from less than $2 million to over $1 billion. RiverFront net flows exceeded $500 mil‑
lion in the first six months of 2009 as a number of national and regional financial services firms added RiverFront to their advisory platforms. “RiverFrontʼs vision is to continue building a special kind of money management firm," said Michael Jones, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer at RiverFront Investment Group, "one that is focused on provid‑ ing leading edge separate ac‑ count and mutual fund portfolio solutions for professional finan‑ cial advisors to use to help clients achieve their life goals. It's especially gratifying to expe‑ rience this growth in a time of such economic uncertainty.”
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Receives $720,000 To Train Electric Vehicle Technicians The funding is among $2.4 billion in grants that President Barack Obama announced in early August for 48 projects selected by the Department of Energy. Reynolds will offer an advanced ca‑ reer studies certificate focusing on electric vehicles, plug‑in hy‑ brids and fuel‑cell electric vehicles. The three‑year grant will create a new program of courses focused on advanced elec‑ tronics in the control systems for electric‑drive vehicles.
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VCU Researchers Receive $10 Million The National Science Foundation has awarded $10 million in grants to Virginia Commonwealth Univer‑ sity researchers in the Department of Mathematics & Applied Mathe‑ matics to lead new initiatives to im‑ prove student learning in middle schools and rural elementary schools in Virginia. The initiatives will prepare teachers to serve as mathematics specialists who in turn coach other teachers. In addition, research will be conducted to determine the im‑ pact of the specialists on the nature
of instruction and student learning of mathematics. The research and develop‑ ment effort will be carried out by VCUʼs Department of Mathematics & Applied Mathematics and the School of Education, in collabora‑ tion with the University of Virginia, Norfolk State University, Longwood University, Virginia Tech, the Uni‑ versity of Maryland, the Virginia De‑ partment of Education, the Virginia Legislature, the Virginia Mathemat‑ ics and Science Coalition and par‑ ticipating school systems.
Midwest Proteomics to Partner with The Remedy Group Midwest Proteomics (MWP) has announced an innovative strategy to launch their Net‑ work Builder technology into the forefront of the bioinfor‑ matics community. MWP will embark on a commercialization partnership with leading spe‑ cialty consulting firm, The Remedy Group. By providing customized solutions to specialty markets, the partnership with The Rem‑ edy Group, a New Jersey‑based consultancy, is a perfect fit for
both entities. Midwest Proteomics, a bioinformatics company based out of the Virginia BioTechnol‑ ogy Research Park, is focused on the advancement of life sci‑ ences research through the de‑ velopment of new tools and services for the specialty phar‑ maceutical industry. It will uti‑ lize The Remedy Group to infiltrate the specialty pharma‑ ceutical market, taking their technologies to the forefront of the industry.
Fire & Angels: 15 Minutes to Secure Future Funding
ome might say that the Live Fire! event, presented by the Charlottesville Ven‑ ture Group (CVG) in conjunction with The Robins School of Busi‑ ness at the University of Rich‑ mond on September 9th, resembled an episode of the tel‑ evision show Shark Tank, but without the hoopla. Here, five real companies from Virginia and North Carolina made strategic 15‑minute presenta‑ tions of their business plans and funding needs to a panel of angel investment group leaders before a live audience. Moderating the event was Letitia Green, managing director of the Virginia Active Angel Net‑ work. Green was not afraid to ask pointed̶and tough̶ques‑ tions in typical Live Fire! fash‑ ion. As a result, the Richmond version of the traveling Live Fire! series provided business students, local investors, and business owners an educational and entertaining crash course in the world of early stage compa‑ nies and investing. A glossary of terms explaining everything from Burn Rate (the amount of net cash an enterprise is losing each month) to Cram Down (slang for a situation in which
PHOTOS: PAUL SPICER
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stockholders are forced to ac‑ cept undesirable terms) was provided to audience members to help guide them through the sometimes hairy critiques. “Live Fire! is a great program because it shows entrepreneurs and bud‑ ding entrepreneurs first‑ hand the vital role of the investor presentation in raising capital and how it should and, just as impor‑ tantly, shouldnʼt be done,” explains David Lay, attor‑ ney at Law, LeClairRyan, one of the sponsors, and speakers, of the event. “Even though Live Fire! has an educational focus, it also can provide the pre‑ senting companies with valuable exposure to peo‑ ple who may be able to as‑ sist them through an investment, referral, or other guidance.” Working the room, the five companies (Coaches Console, ADial Pharmaceuticals, Kryos‑ phere, Virginia Distillery, and Blue Nano) presented their scalability, go‑to‑ market strategy, pro
Joe Hungate, President of Virginia Distillery
variety of companies like that, and hear how they present their companies and the questions that are raised, is just an invalu‑ able experience.”
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Momentum
Jack Riccardi, ADial Chief Financial Officer, and Wendy Yarno, ADial Board of Directors
forma projections, and exit plans. For their efforts, the well‑ prepped pitch persons received constructive criticism from top business minds Valerie Gaydos (Private Investors Forum), Robert Franklin (Georgia Angel Investment Network), and Richard Crawford (Virginia Ac‑ tive Angel Network). “It came off very well. It was one of the highest attended events,” concluded Mark Green, President of ECrop Management Associates and Chairman of the Charlottesville Venture Group. “For potential investors and peo‑ ple who are thinking about en‑ trepreneurial endeavors to see a
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ITʼS NOT EVERY DAY THAT YOU HAVE A PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY, A NANO MATERIALS MANUFACTURER, AND A HIGH‑QUALITY MALT WHISKY DISTILLERY JOCKEY VYING FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THEN AGAIN, ITʼS NOT EVERY DAY THAT LIVE FIRE! HITS TOWN. BY PAUL SPICER
MOMENTUM
Legal Brief
Open for Business
AMAZING TALES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
MAC PURRINGTON Mac Purrington joined Capital One in 1995. He was attracted to the high‑growth, high‑energy team at‑ mosphere of the company. After learning many new skills and help‑ ing the company grow from 2,000 to 20,000+ associates, Mac started to think about his next challenge. He felt that being a business owner would present the energy level he enjoyed and the oppor‑ tunity to create a unique culture. Mac had a strong desire to build a family atmosphere where all team members cared about and committed themselves to a com‑ mon goal. He researched buying an ex‑ isting business. He also had a cou‑ ple of ideas that he thought he could use to start a business from scratch. I met Mac soon thereafter and introduced him to the world of franchising. While Mac had gained valu‑ able operations and management experience during his career, he had spent little time in sales and marketing. Mac was excited about the growth experience of building a successful business while having the support of a national organiza‑ tion to help him in his areas of op‑ portunity. He knew that eventually he wanted a relatively large busi‑ ness to manage. His desires led me to consider a Regional Developer opportunity. (The Regional Developer is a fran‑ chisee who grows a territory by awarding sub‑franchisee contracts within that territory and then sup‑ ports those sub‑franchisees in their efforts.) When I asked Mac about his business interests, he said, “I will look at anything except a
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BY ROBIN SMITH
food business.” So you can imagine his sur‑ prise when one of the options I pre‑ sented was Apple Spice Junction, a box lunch delivery/corporate cater‑ ing business. After contemplating the idea, Mac began to understand that he was not as opposed to food as he was to the 24/7/365 lifestyle of a food operation. Once he learned that Apple Spice Junction had a dif‑ ferent food service model, his in‑ terest grew. He became even more excited by the news that he could develop most of Virginia and the eastern half of North Carolina. Fi‑ nally, he realized that both the local operation and the region would give him distinct teams to build and nurture over the years. It ap‑ peared to be a nice fit. With 4 ½ years under his belt, Mac passed on the following mes‑ sage: “Wow, what a ride! If you are thinking about business owner‑ ship, think about the aspects of running the business that make you nervous and perhaps explore franchises. Although I felt confi‑ dent I could build something, I canʼt tell you how many times I was happy to have someone with more experience a phone call or email away to help me with an issue. The sense that I was not alone was in‑ valuable. The structure of a fran‑ chise is not for everyone, but you should consider its advantages as you make your decision.” At the re‑ cent Entrepreneur Fair sponsored by The Venture Forum, Mac was a panelist and commented that while the initial start up years were lean and at times, difficult, he is thrilled with where he is today. While friends and neighbors are ex‑ periencing layoffs and concerns about their jobs, Mac feels that his business is thriving. Apple Spice Junction special‑ izes in the delivery of box lunches and catering to businesses. It looks to meet all the food needs of the business with the very best in food quality and customer service. It is pleased to offer services for the small business breakfast/lunch, the enormous corporate picnic, and everything in between. Macʼs loca‑ tion services most of the Greater Richmond area. Robin Smith is the owner of The Entrepreneur's Source. www.e‑sourceva.com.
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GOOGLE BOOKS: BIG BUSINESS OR PUBLIC SERVICE? About five years ago, Google started scanning books, on a Google‑worthy scale. The Google Books project has been churning along at a rapid pace ever since. Now anyone can search the full text of “some seven million” books (books.google.com). Googleʼs announced inten‑ tion with the project was to help people find the right book for any topic, and to make short excerpts available for review. Google made agreements with several large re‑ search libraries to scan their col‑ lections, and with thousands of authors and publishers. The books scanned include not only books currently for sale, but also those that are now out of print, and those that are old enough that they are no longer protected by copyright. Google reckoned that under copyright fair use principles, as long as only small pieces of copyright‑protected books were shown, everything should be fine. Many authors and publishers disagreed with Googleʼs fair use
position, and in 2005 the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers were among the plaintiffs that filed suit against Google. The plaintiffs claimed that scanning books without permis‑ sion, even if they were out of print, would be copyright in‑ fringement on a huge scale, and a content grab of historic propor‑ tions. The plaintiffs asked for money damages and a court order forbidding Google from scanning books without permission from authors or publishers. The plaintiffs and Google an‑ nounced a settlement in October 2008, and sent that agreement to the court for consideration and approval. Under the settlement proposal, Google would have the courtʼs permission to scan books that are protected by copyright but are out of print. Google would also be able to sell copies of those books, with most of the revenue going to authors and publishers. Searchers would be able to view up to 20 percent of the entire
Biz Books
THE NAKED AND THE DOW
At first glance, Midlothian author Robert J. Fischerʼs The Naked Portfolio Manager: Why Rules Trump Reason On Wall Street (Abbalucci Press) may lead you to believe it will be yet another tell‑all book of investment corporationsʼ scandalous behavior. But further scrutiny reveals that̶outside of the title̶scandalous behavior is far from his point. Though human behavior is at the core of this study of the way in‑ vestors manage portfolios. Fischer leans on his experience as a senior portfolio manager and advisor for af‑ fluent individuals at a national broker‑ age firm to demystify the decision‑ making process of stock brokers. He is a proponent of Statistical Prediction Methods (SPM) which he describes as a “disciplined, rules‑based decision‑ making methodology.” Fischer maintains that he wanted to create a resource for his clients as well as those who work with other investment firms to use as a tool for “assessing an existing or prospective advisor relationship.”
Mac Purrington
And while the book is seg‑ mented into parts ranging from “The Case for Statistical Decision Making” to “Putting Statistical Prediction Methods into Practice,” Fischer keeps the explanations away from num‑ ber‑crunching and instead focuses more on layman‑term examples. In fact, the book is filled with lots of interesting anecdotal mo‑ ments, celeb mentions̶Ashton Kutcher, Warren Buffet̶pop cul‑ ture references̶Jaws, Star Wars, Spider‑man̶as well as explana‑ tions of contemporary theory that elevate the reading beyond a dry fi‑ nancial resource. In order to make smart invest‑ ments, the author maintains you need to be aware of decision‑mak‑ ing errors that Fischer tags as “fuzzy thinking,” where overconfidence, commitment bias, following the crowd, or emotional connections distort sound investing. With its financial elucidation as well as thoughtful entertainment, The Naked Portfolio Manager is a solid investment for your night‑ stand reading.
Robin Smith
Chris Gatewood
BY CHRIS GATEWOOD
If the litigation is settled as sug‑ gested, would competition be harmed by the rights that the agreement gives to Google? Whether or not Google gets its way with the proposed settlement, its book‑digitizing project has accelerated access to books that are old, new, and out‑of‑print, making hundreds of millions of pages available to searchers. Amazonʼs own book‑scanning project, and its active opposition to Googleʼs proposed deal, points to its own investment in doing something similar. These are powerful forces at work. While publishers and competitors should be watching the Google Book Search project and litigation very carefully, readers and researchers have already been enjoying the benefits of the project for sev‑ eral years now.
MAKE MEETINGS MATTER
Robert J Fischer
Momentum
Chris Gatewood is a Richmond lawyer with the firm of Hirschler Fleischer, P.C.
Leadership Meetings are normally consid‑ ered the bane of our existence. We perceive them as wasting time, either because they are used to tell us what we already know, or we do not get told what we really need to know. So how can we make them better? First, every meeting should have a purpose. That means having an agenda. If thereʼs nothing to put on the agenda, then do not have the meeting. If thereʼs something to put on the agenda, then stick to that agenda during the meeting. Send the agenda to every at‑ tendee in advance so they are able to show up prepared. Second, meetings are for decisions and coordination, not for digestion of information. If the purpose of the meeting is to make a decision or to coordinate the execution of a decision that was previously made, then do not make everyone absorb and process information at the meet‑ ing. Instead, send a read‑ahead packet in advance, so everyone can show up ready to proceed,
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book, and to buy out‑of‑print books from Google, with pro‑ ceeds to be shared with au‑ thors and publishers. The proposed settlement, at least as of Gridʼs press time, still has not yet been approved or disapproved by the court. Opposition to it has come from many heavyweights, including Microsoft, Yahoo, Amazon, and some authors and publishers. Amazon has a book‑scanning project of its own, but says that it does not scan books still under copyright protection un‑ less it has specific permission. Google has been scanning out‑ of‑print books that are still copyright‑protected, without waiting for authorʼs permission. In addition to all the judi‑ cial wrangling among private parties, federal regulators have also opened an investigation into the potential anticompeti‑ tive effects of the deal that Google proposes. The question in that probe is essentially this:
BY MARK MATTHEWS
having already digested the nec‑ essary information beforehand. Third, meetings do not have to be in person. With the wonders of our electronic age, there are many options for holding meetings via telecon‑ ference, web conference, or even online chat services. Con‑ sider whether you can avoid the time, resources, and disruption required to physically co‑locate everyone for the meeting. Finally, meeting attendees should show up prepared. That means you understand the pur‑ pose of the meeting, you have digested the necessary informa‑ tion in advance, you attend on time, and you have answers to the questions that you reason‑ ably anticipate will be asked. With these simple practices, you can cut down the number and length of your meetings, and make them more productive. And then, they become some‑ thing to look forward to. Attorney Mark Matthews heads up The Matthews Law Group, P.L.L.C. in Richmond. Mark Mathews
BOOK BUZZ
GET PUBLISHED! GET PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT YOUR BOOK! Need help getting a book published or advice on how to navigate the publishing waters? Want to take your speaking gigs to the next level? Whether it’s for professional or personal reasons, we can help you create a book you’ll be proud of.
PALARIBOOKS.com. Palari Books (804) 355-1035 info@palaribooks.com Embarrassed by mistakes on your Web site? THINK YOUR SMALL BUSINESS CAN’T AFFORD THE SERVICES OF A PRO WRITER?
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*High‑quality writing* *Editing of print & Web materials* *Proofreading & fact checking* *Crafting of press releases & light marketing* *Free quotes̶no job too small* *Richmond‑based & woman‑powered*
WWW.WRITINGFORTHEWORLD.NET
Career Networking Organizations RichmondJobNet.com A fantastic job resource for entrepreneurs and job seekers, giving the latest employment news and information for the Greater Richmond area. www.richmondjobnet.com
• Browse specific opportuni‑ ties that are open in other fields within your industry.
Denny: “Time and again Iʼve seen people passed over for others with the ʻrightʼ skills as opposed to related skills.”
• Links you to the Career Concourse • Offices in U.S. and Europe Simply Hired A unique job search engine ranked highly by Time Magazine and Forbes.com. www.simplyhired.com
• Network through the job boards and connect with people on LinkedIn; you may already know someone in that company and you never realized it! Virginia Career Network A dedicated support group that educates people on networking strategies and landing jobs by referrals. www.virginiacareernetwork.com
• Fully supported and spon‑ sored by small businesses such as Leading Edge Systems and ActumInc. • On Meetup.com, where you can expand your professional and social connections. Career Prospectors Focusing on helping individuals find jobs throughout the Greater Richmond area. http://www.career‑ prospectors.com/index.html
• Have 2 offices; one in the West End and one in Midlothian • Have helped over 200‑300 find jobs Business Networking International The worldʼs largest business networking organization. www.bni.com
• In addition to networking opportunities, they provide marketing strategies and tips to increase better busi‑ ness for your company. • Unique referral system
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Career Chameleon Tips
BY TARA HERMAN
SO YOUʼRE WORKING AT A COMPANY YOU PROMISED YOURSELF WAS ONLY GOING TO BE TEMPORARY; JUST UNTIL YOU FOUND A BETTER JOB. YOUʼD GAIN SOME
some cases to lower the cost of hiring others at a later date.” Also, “to avoid the commit‑ ment and investment of a full‑ time employee, companies are also hiring more part‑time or contractor positions,” explains Sara Dunnigan, VP of Existing Business Services of Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. “With so many job losses in large companies like Circuit City,” she adds, “job seekers are looking toward smaller busi‑ nesses for security and growth in their career.” In addition, job search en‑ gines like Monster and Career‑ Builder.com are inundated with applicants, but with less than sat‑ isfactory results. Career prospec‑ tors like Michael Soden of Business Networking Interna‑ tional (BNI) are dead set against them. “With all the search en‑ gines lopped together, only 25 percent of job seekers find jobs. For every 1 job there are at least 400 applicants,” Soden says.
CREDIBLE EXPERIENCE AND IT WOULD GET YOU INTO A TOP RUNNING POSITION. BUT NOW, 12 YEARS HAVE GONE BY AND YOU CANʼT EVEN REMEMBER WHAT THAT DREAM JOB WAS; YOU SUBCONSCIOUSLY, WITH THE HELP OF YOUR BOSS AND THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR, EASED YOUR WAY INTO ANOTHER FIELD ALTOGETHER. Tips to Finding Whatever the reason, transitioning into a new career is almost in‑ evitable these days and you need to be prepared, especially in todayʼs job market. In fact, studies show that the average person will change his or her career at least 3‑4 times in their lifespan. With that being said, there is good news for Richmonders. Despite the national economic downturn and a U.S. average unemployment rate of 9.7 percent, as stated by the Virginia Employment Com‑ mission, Virginia has an unemployment rate that dropped to 6.9 percent back in July. This is great news for job seekers of all types whether youʼre looking for a new career or just trying to find a different company to work for. Although there are available jobs in Richmond, itʼs important to note that in January 2009, job markets changed considerably with the turning of the year leading to some interesting trends. Compa‑ nies are being more cautious now than ever about whom they hire and are focusing on applicantsʼ specific skill sets and compatibility to their corporate culture. Collins Denny, Founder of Virginia Career Network states, “Time and again Iʼve seen people passed over for others with the ʻrightʼ skills as opposed to related skills. Companies are being very cost‑conscious and passing over qualified talent, in
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Companies are being more cautious now than ever about whom they hire and are focusing on applicantsʼ specific skill sets and compatibility to their corporate culture.
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Collins Denny
Sara Dunnigan
a New Career Discover what you really want to do. Take a career personality test through Career Concourse, located within the Richmond‑ JobNet.com website. “More times than not, a per‑ sonʼs test will reveal a passion that they had years ago, but for one reason or another never pur‑ sued it, and then in their late 30s or 40s finally decide to jump in and do it,” says Dunnigan. Perform an Informational Interview: find the best in your field of interest and get details as to what they do and how you can do it. Find one company you want to work for and research everything about them. If necessary, obtain any addi‑ tional skills or certifications. Through a Trade or technical school, or internships. “I met with a woman dis‑ placed from Circuit City Opera‑ tions who began volunteering
Michael Soden
Network, Network, Network! Networking. Statistics show that 79 percent of jobs are never even listed and 80 per‑
Soden: “Practice your elevator speech.”
knowing there are a slew of ca‑ reer networking organizations out there ready to take you in and make you all shiny, pol‑ ished, and new and get you con‑ nected with others in your field
of interest. Utilize community and government associations as well as church to find profes‑ sional connections. “Networking is worth the time, because your network will always be there for you even when your employer no longer is,”offers Dunnigan. There are other resources available as well. “Job boards can be a source of candidates for some posi‑ tions,” says Denny. “However, more and more companies are using social media, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twit‑ ter, as a means for both finding candidates as well as uncover‑ ing information about candi‑ dates before offers are made to make a hire.” So be forewarned: Maybe you should think twice before posting those crazy photos on FB from that lost weekend at Oktoberfest...
Whoʼs Hiring? Government 273,000 jobs available from Oct.1, 2009 through Sept. 30, 2012 Source: Partnership for Public Service
• IT • Phillip Morris/Altria • Healthcare
Tara Herman is a freelance writer, artist, and teacher.
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Career Chameleon
Sell Yourself. Be proactive. Create an effective marketing strategy to promote yourself to potential employers. Have plenty of business cards handy; make sure they are like mini‑resumes with bul‑ let points. “Practice your elevator speech; a 60‑second speech where you prove to the CEO that you are the right man for the job. You know how to fix his problem, because essen‑ tially thatʼs all a job really is,” Soden says.
cent of jobs are found through networking. With numbers like that, job seekers can feel safe
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with a small healthcare com‑ pany. After several months, she was able to use this expe‑ rience to land a senior opera‑ tional position with one of Richmondʼs largest hospitals,” explains Denny.
INNOVATORS
Fuzzy Logix Fuzzy Logix, a high‑tech business consulting firm based partially in Richmond, was recently honored as a finalist for the 2009 Technology Builder Award by the Greater Rich‑ mond Technology Council. Greater Richmond Grid caught up with COO Michael Upchurch to discuss this honor, Fuzzy Logix and working in Richmond: How did Fuzzy Logix get started? M.U.: Our founder and CEO, Partha Sen, began to experiment with techniques to develop and deploy quantitative models that drive busi‑ ness solutions. His goal was to fig‑ ure out a way to run models as fast as possible and to make complex analysis easy to perform. In the en‑ suing 14 years, he built a team who developed and refined a large li‑ brary of analytic models including data mining, financial analysis and forecasting. What do you consider to be the benefits of doing business in Richmond?
Why not create a reminder that refreshes the frazzled brain with the fine details? Last February, Casey Burke awoke suddenly to find herself on the verge of a panic attack: she had completely forgotten a wedding that coming Saturday. Then the lightbulb went off. Why not create a reminder that re‑ freshes the frazzled brain with the fine details? Enter RSVPhere.com. Burke smiles and jokes that her own wedding was the “first ʻguinea pigʼ to test out RSVPhere. com.” Whether itʼs scribbled on a sticky note, napkin or leftover pizza box, sent via e‑vite confirmed as a last‑minute yes; inscribed on fancy wedding paper; or even typed on a business reply card, invites present a double‑edge sword: initial merri‑ ment for an in‑person request yet dread for the eventual rushed and last minute reply. However, returning that invite doesnʼt have to carry the old col‑ lege term paper burden equiva‑ lence any longer. Viewers can now relish, with extra gadget garnishment, the sim‑
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plicity of responding to any invite received, virtually. Check your events calendar, manage your dates, calculate a beer cost, search for a hotel, col‑ laborate gift ideas, verify an ad‑ dress, consult for the best wardrobe attire or chat with fellow invitees, all with features like a dig‑ ital checklist, paint pad, spiral note‑ book, clock, calculator, blog chat and picture album. Not registered yet? Guests can request a special invite to join. Like the social media niche thatʼs con‑ sumed popular culture, RSVPhere.com combines chatting, posting, blogging...and “just about everything except making your cof‑ fee,” says Burke. RSVPhere.com is finally at‑ tracting the buzz and service Casey Burke has toiled for. Membership is up and fresh reviews are posted daily.
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LAUREN GAUTHIER
RSVPHere.com
M.U.: After working and living in Washington, DC; London; England; and Charlotte, NC; I felt that Rich‑
Fuzzy Logix began to experiment with techniques to develop and deploy quantitative models that drive business solutions.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL UPCHURCH
RSVPhere.com
BY ANNE FLATIN
mond offered the best aspects of each of those cities including a highly educated, passionate and friendly workforce, relatively low cost of living, easy access to many major US cities, a vibrant artistic community and a strong desire to support local businesses. Do you have any thoughts on your companyʼs recent honor of being named as a finalist for the 2009 Technology Builder Award by the Greater Richmond Technology Council? M.U.: We were honored to be nom‑ inated. I personally know all of the nominees in our category and know they deliver phenomenal work for their clients. Itʼs really nice to be recognized by our peers and by RichTech, which is a very strong organization with a large and im‑ pressive membership. The com‑ munity spirit enabled by RichTech is a fantastic asset to the business environment here in Richmond. For more information on Fuzzy Logix, visit their website at http://www.fuzzyl.com, Fuzzy Logix
Rx3 Compounding Pharmacy WORK
Sonny Currin, R.Ph. and Chris Currin, R.Ph. provide customized pharmacy solutions for almost any health issue.
Innovators
After over ten years running Rx3 Compound‑ ing Pharmacy, pharmacist Chris Currin, R.Ph. and his father Sonny Currin, R.Ph. continue to provide customized pharmacy solutions for almost any health issue. Thanks to certifications in bio‑identical hor‑ mone replacement therapy, pain manage‑ ment, hospice care, sterile compounding, and even veterinary compounding, the well‑trained staff is able to tailor remedies for almost any condition. Custom compounding is the mixing of various drugs by a pharmacist to fit the unique needs of each patient. Some pa‑ tients may need to change the form of a medication due to allergies or to accom‑ modate other health conditions. And since Rx3 is the only compounding phar‑ macy in Virginia to be accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board that means it has passed extensive onsite inspections and meets or exceeds national standards. In addition to their own sterile room, the pharmacy also has a dispensary where they offer natural products and supple‑ ments. There is also a medically trained naturopathic doctor on site. As more and more doctors and patients discover the ben‑ efits of customized medication, Rx3 Com‑ pounding Pharmacy will be there to meet those needs.
The Intersection of Art, Business & Science BY TED RANDLER
Gianakos: ”It has the potential to start a ripple effect that could extend across the United States.”
Merging Missions
BY DAVID SMITHERMAN
CROWN ACURA HAS CREATED A UNIQUE PARTNER‑ SHIP WITH DOWNTOWN RICHMONDʼS OWN UNITED NETWORK FOR ORGAN SHARING (UNOS) TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT AUTO SAFETY AND ORGAN DONATION. Itʼs a logical fit when you realize that, due in part to the design of safer cars, there has been a steady decline in traffic deaths, the number one source of donor organs. That means fewer organs for those who need them most. “While this can start with Crown Acura in Rich‑ mond,” says Theodora Stratos Gianakos, Crown Acura General Manager, “it has the potential to start a ripple effect that Schaffner directs the filming could extend across the of the UNOS‑Acura campaign. United States.” Acura is zation that administers the na‑ the only brand to have a full line tionʼs only Organ Procurement of 5‑star Crash Safety Rated ve‑ and Transplantation Network hicles. Every model in Acura's (OPTN) matching organs from lineup is a Top Safety Pick of the deceased donors to those on the Insurance Institute for Highway national waiting list. Every Safety. Gianakos is working with transplant in the United States Lisa Schaffner, director of pub‑ comes through UNOS‑developed lic relations for UNOS, to create data technology. Crown Acura‑ public awareness of the impor‑ Richmond is part of the Asbury tant work UNOS is doing across Automotive Group and, has won the country. the highest honor the Acura UNOS is a not for profit, sci‑ Dealership of Distinction Award entific and educational organi‑ for five years.
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Itʼs August 12th and Iʼm hav‑ ing lunch with Greater Rich‑ mond Partnership, Inc. (GRP) Senior Vice President Gene Winter and Dr. Adrian Shaw at the Pad Thai Restaurant (8460 Meadowbridge Road) in Mechanicsville. The restaurant is one of those cool finds that you wouldnʼt know about unless you were from the area. The building is nondescript, with very lit‑ Shawʼs: “Allsorts” Mixed‑media on canvas. tle signage, set along a run Watermelon Festival in Carytown. of industrial parks. But once inside, Apparently dancing folks in water‑ the cozy place bustles with the noon diners and patrons arriving for melon costumes is a slice of Rich‑ mond worth immortalizing on his scrumptious Thai takeout. digital camera. This is the kind of insiderʼs He has brought with him a view Winter has provided Shaw for copy of Greater Richmond his ten‑day tour of the region. Grid ̶worn out from poring Shaw̶with the University of Lin‑ over its contents̶and said that coln in Lincoln, outside Notting‑ Nottingham enjoys a similar cre‑ ham, England̶is an educator, ative community. artist, chemist, and author. He was Topics of conversation touch representing his employer and serv‑ on how entrepreneurial and artistic ing as an emissary from the Not‑ creative‑problem‑solving processes tingham region. are similar; local governmentʼs in‑ GRP and Nottingham City teraction with the business and arts Council in England have a Memo‑ communities; and the resurgence randum of Understanding related of downtown living. to areas of mutual cooperation̶a For the arts, Winter had set type of sister city or “town twin‑ up meetings with the Director of ning” as it is known in economic de‑ Curated Culture and First Friday velopment parlance. Coordinator Christina Newton as Why Nottingham City and well as with Aimee Joyaux, Educa‑ Greater Richmond? Itʼs actually tion Director at the Visual Arts more organic than you may realize, Center of Richmond. He had Shaw with ongoing connections between visit numerous galleries in Rich‑ the two regions that include Capital mond, including Plant Zero, 1708 One facilities, life science parks, and Gallery, and others in Uptown. Rolls Royce manufacturing. Shaw is also interested in local Well‑schooled in both science forensics programs, center city revi‑ and art, Shaw has created courses talization groups, and creative, such as “Science‑Art: the Overlap” knowledge‑based businesses. To and “Light, Memory and Identity: this end, Winter had initiated the role of the Hybrid in Fine Art.” He has also taught Political and East meetings with Linda P. Carne, Pres‑ European studies at Morley College, ident of Virginia Institute of Foren‑ sic Science and Medicine, and Lucy London, and Sciences/Chemistry at Meade of Venture Richmond. other schools. There was also a visit to Randolph So naturally, his visit with Dean Macon College, plus a tour of Play Jamison at VCUʼs Engineering School where Shaw learned about their to learn about the VCUʼs da Vinci Cen‑ consulting and creative motivation ter For Innnovation and Product De‑ business as well as Playʼs presence sign Development was a high point. in London. Winter, Shaw and I discussed Winter explains the culmina‑ both the University of Lincolnʼs and tion of these meetings will lead to VCUʼs efforts to create synergy be‑ tween the arts and sciences. There is the identification of opportunities for possible collaboration between also talk of the schoolsʼ similar ef‑ Greater Richmond and Nottingham forts at distinguishing their brand through research and development. with the different arts, business and A bit of a tourist on a mission, education entities. Dr. Shaw hopes to return late Shaw finds Richmond to be “vibrant in 2009. GRP will be in Nottingham with creative activity.” Heʼd at‑ in November 2009. tended Augustʼs First Friday and the
A Tale of Two Companies: Spinning Marketing Into Jobs W
Sabra Dipping Company, LLC will create 260 new jobs.
eye, much of its activity requires working below the radar to maintain the confidential nature of major corporation moves. For example, Sabra Dipping Company, LLC and Elephant In‑ surance (UK) have high‑profile brands in very competitive in‑ dustries. In order for GRP to pro‑ vide assistance in the relocation process, relationships had to be carefully established over an ex‑ tended period of time. In fact, long before Gover‑ nor Kaineʼs November 2008 an‑ nouncement that Sabra would open a state‑of‑the‑art food man‑ ufacturing plant in Chesterfield County, the Greater Richmond Partnership, the Virginia Eco‑ nomic Development Partnership, and Chesterfield economic de‑
targeted companies in support of localities. Sabra makes a wide range of refrigerated dips and spreads using fresh herbs and spices, au‑ thentic recipes and healthy veg‑ etables. The companyʼs products include hummus, eggplant dips, baba ganoush spreads, and Mediterranean salsa. All of the products are certified kosher and vegetarian and found in gro‑ cery stores across the nation. Be‑ cause of the targeted consumer demographics of their products, and since the parent company is based in Israel with some man‑ agers potentially moving to the region, Sabra was interested in the regionʼs population profile. “GRP provided Sabra with census data showing about
Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc.
tions estimate 260 new jobs will result from the Sabra $59 mil‑ lion 110,000‑square‑foot plant on a 49‑acre site in the Ruffin Mill Industrial Park. Speaking of highly compet‑ itive, Elephant Insurance (UK) took six months and seriously scrutinized Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and Charlotte before selecting 26,000 square feet of office space in Henrico Countyʼs Innsbrook area. Elephant Insurance is a subsidiary of Admiral Group plc, the United Kingdomʼs third‑ largest auto insurer. Its cus‑ tomer base targets people who traditionally find it difficult to get cheaper insurance. The company plans to em‑ ploy 40‑50 people by the end of the third quarter 2009, with projections of 200 jobs by the end of its second year.
Elephant Insurance (UK) initially plans for up to 50 new positions this year.
means tailoring information about the region to correspond to the multifaceted needs of var‑ ious industries including health‑ care, manufacturing, technology, and finance and insurance. Ronen Zohar, Sabra CEO, told the Richmond Times‑Dis‑ patch, “We looked in a lot of other places and at the end of the day we understood that the best place for us to take our dream and our vision, to make it true, is here in Chesterfield.” So in the highly‑competitive arena for new companies, what sold Sabra on Chesterfield? “The Richmond regionʼs strong pres‑ ence of international food com‑ panies was among the deciding factors for Sabra to locate here,” Wingfield says. Current projec‑
Itʼs interesting to note the language Andrew Rose̶Ele‑ phant Insuranceʼs President and CEO̶ ̶used in regard to the company announcement: “The Richmond region has a great story to tell: cost‑effec‑ tive real estate, quality labor force, and a welcoming busi‑ ness environment.” He continued, “Another dif‑ ferentiating factor among the cities was the Greater Richmond Partnershipʼs service. They streamlined the process for us. Weʼre a cost‑efficient business and this free consultative service was invaluable to us.” Clearly, the regionʼs story is being told in the right way to the right people̶a key concept for great salesmanship.
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velopers had been as‑ 10,000 Jewish sisting the company. people living in Sabra had been a the area,” Greg target of Chesterfield Wingfield, CEO County for about four of the Greater years. Contact was Richmond Part‑ made with the com‑ nership, Inc. ex‑ pany while the county plains, “As well was attending food in‑ as the historical dustry trade shows Wingfield: significance of such as the annual “Itʼs our job to tell the Jewish com‑ Fancy Food shows in the regionʼs story.” munity and busi‑ San Francisco and New York. nesses in the area.” Other factors Building face‑to‑face rela‑ included cost of labor, business tionships at trade shows and on taxes, and transportation costs outreach marketing events in and access. According to Wing‑ Europe and Asia is still a strong field, because youʼre moving suit for connecting with corpo‑ companies̶it means you are rations. GRP often participates in relocating people̶“local quality these tactics as well as uses the of life and culture are high‑ communication technology at its lighted to entice relocation. Itʼs disposal̶state‑of‑the‑art web‑ our job to tell the regionʼs story.” site, online videos and efforts in Telling the story, a term that social media̶to make connec‑ Wingfield cites often in dis‑ tions and market the region to cussing the Partnership mission,
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hile the nationʼs econ‑ omy isnʼt out of the woods yet, locally, posi‑ tive signs of growth can be found in two companies in two very different industries̶that have targeted the Greater Rich‑ mond region for expansion in the upcoming months. And bringing with them hundreds of new jobs. Often the hoopla and fan‑ fare of these corporate an‑ nouncements tend to over‑ shadow the effort of organiza‑ tions like the Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. (GRP) that have quietly endeavored behind the scenes to attract new or expand‑ ing companies as well as assist existing business. The irony of economic development is that while at heart GRP is a market‑ ing entity that works hard to get Greater Richmond in the public
The Music Nerd Chronicles CHRIS BOPST TOURS THE PASSION, PATHOS AND WACKINESS OF THE RICHMOND FOLK FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE. n February 14, 1976, my life was changed forever. On that Valentineʼs Day, my music‑lov‑ ing father came home with presents for the family. He had no way of know‑ ing that his chosen present for his youngest, 10‑year‑old, son would for‑ ever transform his sonʼs life. I think he was in a hurry after work to choose something for all of us, with no time to think about the long‑term ramifica‑ tions of his gift selection. He just wanted to be a good father. None of us were surprised when he came in the door that day bearing gifts for my brother and I that were obviously records. Jour‑ neys to the record store were a weekly ritual in our household. My father had thousands of records and I was raised on a steady diet of Dylan, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Judy Collins and everything and anything else that tickled my fatherʼs insatiable musical appetite. When I opened my gift that Valentineʼs Day “Rock & Roll Over” by KISS was staring back at me. To this day I donʼt know why my fa‑ ther chose to give me that record, as the group was universally panned by music connoisseurs like him who took every opportunity to mock and ridicule the groupʼs recorded output. It is my guess that some record store employee suggested it to him after being told that he was looking for a record that would appeal to his son that spent the better part of two years dressed as Batman, frothed at the mouth at the mere men‑ tion of fireworks and liked his rock music (The Who in particular) played at maximum volume. It was a good sug‑ gestion and probably too good a sug‑ gestion for my fatherʼs liking. For the next two and a half years Bopst onstage at September after that all I really remember is KISS. 12thʼs Benny‑Fit for Hospice I lived and breathed KISS. Though my held at The Playing Field father fanned mild amusement with my (7801 W. Broad Street). obsession with the band, he always made a point of saying that they sounded like pigs being slaughtered whenever he listened to their music. As much as Iʼm sure he hated the band, he never told me to take their records off the turntable. I mean, what could he do? It was his fault and he knew it. He had to live with the unintended conse‑ quences of his actions no matter how unpleasant they may be. And besides, he loved me. At the height of my KISSdom, the band played at the Capital Cen‑ ter (with AC/DC serving as the opening act) in Landover, Maryland, and he took the whole family to witness the objects of my affection. My father spent the entire concert strangely mute uncomfortably sit‑ ting at the end of the aisle with his fingers jammed in his ears. The wafts of marijuana smoke and the general overall decadence of ʼ70s
BOPST HEADSHOT: PHOTO BY EDWARD JEFFERSON TRASK | BOPST ONSTAGE AT THE BENNY‑FIT FOR HOSPICE 2009:
PHOTO BY CHIP MANGUM
O “Once I came to Richmond in the summer of 1984, my view on music changed as I grew tired of the rigid conformity of punk and embraced any and all music that gave me goose bumps because, as any true music lover will surely tell you, the goose bumps don’t lie. Over the next 25 years, I made records, toured the world, booked and promoted shows, became a radio DJ and music columnist and have lived a life that’s always centered in and around music...”
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coliseum rock shows probably didnʼt set too well with him ei‑ ther, but he endured it knowing that he had just made his kidʼs day, week, month and year as the coolest father in the world. And that he was. I loved him more than life itself. In May of 1980, he suf‑ fered a massive heart attack and died. As you might imagine, his sudden death ripped our family apart and we all were crushed, never to be the same again. All these years later, there is not a day that passes that I donʼt think of him. There will always be a part of me that is a 13‑year‑ old boy yearning to see his fa‑ ther again and the place I always find him is in music. He is always there. I started playing in bands right before he died and music was my oasis away from the grief of his passing. I practiced every day after school with my friends as my childhood KISS fixation gave way to an embrace of punk rock. The aggression was the per‑ fect release for me. I immersed myself in the DC scene, bought Minor Threat and Black Flag re‑ leases, went to shows, started a fanzine, made mixed tapes of hard‑to‑find music for my skepti‑ cal friends and preached the gospel to anyone who would lis‑ ten about music being made in the here and now. Once I came to Richmond in the summer of 1984, my view on music changed as I grew tired of the rigid conformity of punk and em‑ braced any and all music that gave me goose bumps because, as any true music lover will surely tell you, the goose bumps donʼt lie. Over the next 25 years, I made records, toured the world, booked and promoted shows, be‑ came a radio DJ and music columnist and have lived a life thatʼs always centered in and around music. I am a true be‑ liever that music makes the world a better place. I am a lifer. The Richmond Folk Festival
PLAY “Jim Wark is a guitar player and a fine one at that who has lent his talents over the last 20 years to a variety of groups including the Janet Martin Band, Billy Hatley& the Show Dogs, Lil’ Ronnie & the Bluebeats, Chrome Daddy Disco and countless others.”
Evelia Porto (left), is pictured with her sister and famed tenor and conductor Placido Domingo during a recent visit to Cartagena. Evelia grew up in the tropical Colombian seaport with her mother serving as Secretary for Culture for the state, as well as a playwright, while her aunt was a composer there. Evelia was a ballet dancer and performed in theater, spending her life surrounded by arts and culture of all kinds. Zarina Fazaldin was born in Kenya and went to school in Tanzania, India, Switzerland, and the United States and speaks four languages. A former special education teacher who incorporated music and dance into her curricula, she is now a real estate developer and likes to unwind to Salsa, Marenge and Bachata. She is pictured in traditional Masaai dress.
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(and formerly the National Folk Festival) is up some of the people who make up the put together by people who love music as Programming Committee and I fear that my much as I do. Led by Joshua Kohn and Julia inabilities as a writer wonʼt do these fine fel‑ Olin, our programming and production part‑ low music nerds that I have come to respect ners at the National Council for the Tradi‑ and admire the justice they deserve. Oh tional Arts (NCTA), we are a collection of well, if I fail, they will be the first ones to music nerds, a group of people whose lives tell me. Again, these arenʼt people to hold are defined by our love of music. Iʼm sure if their tongues. So here goes, my tribute to the some of you asked anyone who knows any of the committeeʼs members to describe them, the the local folks behind the scenes who pre‑ first thing that would come out of their side over the programming of the Richmond mouths would be their obsession with music, Folk Festival, along with our colleagues at emphasized by an amazed expression befit‑ the NCTA. Jim Wark: Jim is king nerd and it is fit‑ ting total and complete devotion. Being asked to be part of the Programming Com‑ ting that he heads the committee. He speaks mittee for the festival is something that each with unbridled passion. I imagine Jim could and every one of us takes very seriously and make a killing selling ice to Eskimos if he put it is an honor and privilege for all of us to be his mind to it. The former newspaperman and publisher is a Tazmanian devil of maniac involved in this annual event. That said, I donʼt want to give you the energy that gave up a life of editorial pur‑ impression that we are a pompous lot of suits to become a 3rd grade teacher at Black‑ holier‑than‑thou music snobs. Well, to be well Elementary School in Richmond. This is clearly a man who follows honest, many of us could his own bliss. Given his be accused of being fiery demeanor, it is not snobs, but in reality we can be best described as surprising that Jim is a a collection of musical guitar player, and a fine misfits, a rag‑tag club of one at that, who has lent capricious music enthu‑ his talents over the last siasts overflowing with 20 years to a variety of an all encompassing en‑ groups including the thusiasm that is indica‑ Janet Martin Band, Billy tive of only the truest Hatley and the Show devotion. Whenever we “Sharon Bassard has gone on record to Dogs, Lilʼ Ronnie & the hold our Programming unequivocally state that she isn’t a nerd Bluebeats, Chrome Daddy meetings, each unrepen‑ in any way, shape or form… I don’t mean Disco and countless oth‑ to burst her bubble, but playing flute in a ers. Jim has stated that he tant music nerd takes marching band is the definition of nerd.” their respective places is determined to hang around the conference table champing at the around the stages of Richmond's smallest, bit to add their precious and deeply held darkest, and dankest bars for as long as views as to what will make next yearʼs Festi‑ they'll let him. God help anybody foolish val better than the last. This is not a group enough to think they can stop him. The man who holds back their opinions. If anything, cannot be stopped. it would be nice sometimes if people would Sharon Bassard: She has gone on shut up every once in a while. But as with record to unequivocally state that she isnʼt a anything worth doing, vigorous good‑na‑ nerd in any way, shape or form, but if you tured debate ensures quality results, espe‑ are part of this committee you are a nerd cially when you are dealing with whether you like it or not. Check out these hard‑headed nerds who think that they, and music nerd credentials: Sharon played flute they alone, know all there is to know about in elementary, middle and high school and music. What keeps these raucous meetings marched in H.S. marching band. I donʼt mean under control is that everyone is well aware to burst her bubble, but playing flute in a that everybody else on the committee is as marching band is the definition of nerd. She obsessed with music as they are. The mu‑ grew up in a house filled with music (her fa‑ tual respect shared between committee ther was a music teacher and her mother members can be sometimes sickening, but wore out the grooves on Al Green, Roberta it is this shared love of the music that bonds Flack and Diana Ross & the Supremes us together. records while they did their weekly chores). It is my unenviable task to try to sum As with all Programming Committee mem‑
Gregg Kimball is related to three generations of New England fiddlers. [Top]: Kimballʼs great‑uncle Charles Perkins [Middle]: Charles and Altie Perkins with their band [Bottom]: In his early 20s, Kimball (on the right), played bass in his band called Clearwater.
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bers, Sharon has an abiding love of music regardless of genre and lists meeting Tito Puente as one of many magical musical mo‑ ments (she has booked over 700 shows̶and counting̶for Ven‑ ture Richmond and its forerun‑ ner organizations Downtown Presents and CityCelebrations) that have come to define her. And I kid Sharon about being a nerd (at least, in a derogatory sense anyway. As with everyone on this committee, I use the term “nerd” as the highest of compli‑ ments). She is one red‑hot mama. Greg Kimball: Related to three generations of New Eng‑ land fiddlers with a PhD in His‑ tory and a Masters in Library Science, Greg is a treasure trove of musical knowledge. I guess thatʼs why he curated museum exhibits at the Valentine Mu‑ seum (now the Valentine Rich‑ mond History Center) for more than ten years and is currently doing the same at the Library of Virginia (he will forever have my admiration for bringing the Paschal Brothers to town a cou‑ ple of years ago which was one of the best live performances I have ever seen). To further so‑ lidify his standing as supreme music nerd on our committee he has collected vintage 78 records for years, cataloging music that might otherwise be lost forever were it not for his tireless, vigi‑ lant efforts to catalog great American music from yester‑ year. I am often humbled to be in Gregʼs presence. He makes Richmond a place you can be proud to call home. Tim Timberlake: Tim saw the Beatles. He has the ticket stub to prove it (D.C. Stadium on August 15, 1966, on a triple date). By virtue of that alone Tim is worthy of envy, but coupled with the fact that he has spent a lifetime championing music of every variety with an infectious passion that cannot be faked, I sometimes feel that I should bow to him to give him his proper due. To the uninitiated
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Tim might seem easygoing, but donʼt be fooled. He's as tena‑ cious as a junkyard dog once you get past his gentlemanly de‑ meanor. You donʼt spend 40‑ plus years in broadcast media without having more than a lit‑ tle fight in you. But thatʼs pas‑ sionate people for you. You never have to guess what they are thinking and in the case of Tim, what he has to say is al‑ ways worth hearing̶especially when the subject is bluegrass. Jim Bland: Here is another person that I feel I should kiss the feet of every time I see him. Well, then again, maybe not. By
Chuck Wrenn
tion that the Richmond music scene is built on. Anything and everything meaningful that has happened locally for music in this city over the
[Top] Timberlakeʼs ticket stub from the Beatlesʼ D.C. Stadium performance on August 15th, 1966. [Above] With his high school folk group the Travelers in Staunton (Timberlake is on the right).
my calculation, I have probably spent more than $20,000 over the years buying music from him. I think he appreciates that much more than that mutually awkward moment that surely would occur if I ever did try to kiss the manʼs feet. Without Plan 9 Records, I might have never moved to our fair humble south‑ ern abode because Jim was the man that carried all the records (and then some) that most didnʼt have. He is part of the founda‑ Jim Bland at Plan 9 Records
last 20‑odd years can be traced in some form or fashion back to him. He is the patron saint of Richmond music. Chuck Wrenn: The busi‑ ness of music can grind people up and turn them into burned out shells of their former music lov‑ ing selves. Many have walked away disgusted and bitter never to be heard of, or from, again. Not so with my good friend Chuck Wrenn. He has seen the good, the bad and the supremely ugly of what music sometimes has to offer and it has never diminished his love affair with music. He is a proud lifer, having been in and around music for the better part of 30 years, booking bands, run‑ ning clubs and hosting one of the most beloved Richmond music festivals, High on the Hog. Like most people on this list, a million
Richmond, but our cityʼs arts cov‑ erage is greatly enhanced with Don at the helm. He is always lis‑ tening and spreading the word. Chris King: Chris is king. Though he doesnʼt talk all that often, when he does feel com‑ pelled to address the peasants, everybody listens. Why does the King deserve to be treated as royalty? Well, he has worked on 348 CD projects during the last 12 years, receiving five Grammy nominations and one win for his remastering of “Screaminʼ and Hollerinʼ the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton,” as well as owning one of largest 78 collec‑ tions in the world. If that doesnʼt
Chris King has worked on 348 CD projects during the last 12 years, receiving five Grammy nominations and one win.
Trained as a classical musician, Conaway Haskins was born into a family steeped in traditional African-American sacred and soul music.
Virginia State Folklorist Jon Lohman, (right), with the Right Reverend Frank Newsome, a practitioner of Old Regular Baptist Singing, one of the oldest and deepest veins of American spiritual singing traditions. Jon directs the Virginia Folklife Program at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and has curated the Virginia Folklife Area in all but one of the years of the National and Richmond Folk Festivals. The Rev. Newsome will appear in the CenterStage Folklife Area of this year's Richmond Folk Festival.
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charges for these intimate per‑ formances could not be con‑ firmed at press time). Conaway is currently State Director for U.S. Senator Jim Webb, whose 2006 campaign was noted for featuring music by Appalachian bluegrass musicians. Any tradi‑ tional Virginia music featured during the folk festival has to get his seal of approval before it is even put up for consideration. He knows and will forever fight for the good stuff. Jon Lohman: Jon holds the exalted nerd position as the State Folklorist for the Com‑ monwealth of Virginia. Since as‑ suming the directorship of the Virginia Folklife Program, Jon has initiated and car‑ ried out numerous pro‑ grams, including statewide oral history workshops, a comprehensive guide for Virginia Folklife Re‑ sources, a highly success‑ ful Folklife Apprenticeship Program and exhibition, and he has produced nu‑ Todd Ranson in Mali merous documentary proj‑ hanging with some ects, including films and Dogon friends. audio recordings. He re‑ do it for you, consider this. One cently authored In Good Keep‑ day he showed up at a Program‑ ing, a book chronicling the ming meeting in a spiffy, pin‑ Folklife Apprenticeship Pro‑ striped suit and when people gram. But all he really wants the commented on his dapper attire, world to know is that the ladies he casually mentioned that simply refer to him as “The Spencer Tracy originally owned Beast.” While it is true that most the suit. We all just stared at him male committee members make as he shrugged it off as no big this very same boast, John is the deal. Oh, and did I mention that only one to make this claim and he knows Tom Waits on a first expect everyone to believe him. name basis? For a guy that could Roddy Moore: Roddy has be accurately described as the put together museum exhibits quintessential music nerd, Chris on everything from moonshine makes it seem downright sexy. to racing to the history of the Conaway Haskins: Trained banjo in Virginia and collects as a classical musician, Conaway vintage hot rods and decorative was born into a family steeped arts made in western Virginia. in traditional African‑American He researches and writes arti‑ sacred and soul music and grew cles on everything from pie up amidst the rich folklife cus‑ safes to Santo Domingo Indian toms of rural southside Virginia. jewelry when he and his wife Now, he is an avid music listener arenʼt too busy raising and who limits his performances to showing Percheron draft horses the occasional “singing in the and cross‑bred hunters. I often shower” gig (rumors that he wonder if the man ever sleeps.
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words would not be enough to do this beloved, cherished Rich‑ mond music icon justice. Iʼm proud to call him my friend. Just thinking about him puts me in a good mood. Todd Ranson: Of all the committee members, Todd and I share the most similar musical experiences. We grew up on the Minutemen and the American underground music scene of the 1980ʼs, believe that music at its best means something and we both are constantly looking for new ways to tweak our ears. To us there are only two types of music: good and otherwise. We once spent a hellishly hot night at the Black Cat in Washington, DC, to see the Konono #1 and both of us spent the two hour drive back to Richmond gushing about what we felt was the con‑ cert of a lifetime. It wasnʼt the first time and I doubt it will be our last. His always listenable and inform‑ ative radio program, “The Loblolly Pine Show” on WCVE, celebrates his love of music that knows no prejudice or musical limit. He is the living em‑ bodiment of the old adage that life is always interesting to those who remain curious. I just hope our Redskins do well this year. Don Harrison: Don is also of my generation of music nerds and he approaches his all‑en‑ compassing love of music with an eye on historical precedence without being afraid of some‑ thing new. Like any good re‑ porter, he likes to connect the dots. Not only has he played in numerous bands over the years, he has written extensively about Virginia music, compiled an ex‑ cellent retrospective on the stateʼs rock & roll history and is now the Arts Editor for Style Weekly. Landing that gig re‑ quired that he give up his excel‑ lent reporting on his blog, Save
Mavis Wynn with the Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown, following his 2006 National Folk Festival performance.
Page Wilson
Richmond Folk Festival Programming Committee Peggy Baggett Sharon Bassard Janine Bell Jack Berry Jim Bland Christ Bopst Bob Englander Zarina Fazaldin Gary Gerloff Don Harrison Conaway Haskins Gregg Kimball Chris King Stephen Lecky Jon Lohman Larry Minnick Roddy Moore Evelia Porto Todd Ranson Allen Rothert Lisa Sims Tim Timberlake Jim Wark Chris Williams Page Wilson Chuck Wrenn Mavis Wynn Chris Bopst writes a weekly column called “Sound Advice” for Brick Mag‑ azine and his podcast The Bopst Show is posted every Monday on RVANEWS.com.
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Mavis Wynn: I clicked with Mavis the first time go‑go music was mentioned during my first Programming meeting. When the subject came up, we were the two who were the most ex‑ cited about the genre that most people outside of D.C. (and to a lesser extent Chicago) have never heard of except for EUʼs hit “Da Butt,” that was featured in Spike Leeʼs Film, School Daze. And thatʼs a pity. Go‑go music has the sweaty, audience partic‑ ipation of the best gospel mixed with the party ʻtil the break of dawn mentality of classic Parlia‑ ment to create a vibrant hybrid of all things worth living for. Mavis and I are true believers. If I werenʼt a happily married man, this die‑hard Tar Heels fan and longtime gospel/go‑go enthusi‑ ast would be the first name in my little black book. I imagine that wherever she goes, a good time is always being had. Page Wilson: If you donʼt know who Page Wilson is, it would be my guess that either you donʼt live in Richmond or̶if you do, in fact, live in Richmond and his name doesnʼt ring any bells̶you must be a shut‑in. Page is everywhere whether you like it or not and here to stay with a vengeance. I consider myself a relatively good self‑promoter, but compared to Page, Iʼm a pipsqueak when stacked next to his thunderous roar. A tireless musician and music advocate, his long running radio program, Out oʼ the Blue Radio Revue with Page Wilson on WCVE celebrates folk, blues, bluegrass, country, Cajun/zy‑ deco, rock & roll, Irish, and what‑ ever else “feels good.” Many decades into the game, Page still approaches music with a fervor that mere mortals of any age would be hard pressed to muster. Donʼt believe me? Just ask Page. Heʼll talk your ear off. Stephen Lecky: Festival manager Stephen Lecky seems to like life on the sidelines. I mean, a lionʼs share of shows
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and events that happen in Rich‑ mond wouldnʼt happen without him handling the big and little things that bring these things to life. He doesnʼt say much or ever get too exited (a rarity amongst this bunch), but you can always tell that he is the man who makes things happen. I look at him sometimes and imagine that he is calculating all the details to make whatever we are talking about a bona fide reality. Stephen is our ace in the hole. Lisa Sims: Last, but by most means certainly not least, is the one and only Lisa Sims. Simply put, if it were not for Lisa Sims, the Folk Festival would not exist. Us music nerds are just her window dressing. She makes everything happen. With the amount of hats she has to wear, I wonder if she ever actually gets to see her hair. All I know is that she must hit the hay every night and be asleep the second her head hits the pillow. If you love the Folk Festival, you have Lisa to thank. I would suggest giving her long, uncomfortable, sloppy kisses if and when you can count your lucky stars and actually meet her in the flesh. Since I donʼt think her husband or teenage children would approve, just shower her with praises and be eternally thankful, as the rest of us are, that Lisa Sims is on planet Earth. Oh, and if she has to answer her phone suddenly when youʼre showering her with gratitude, donʼt be offended. She is working on the next big thing. Gary Gerloff: The first time I saw Gary, I have to admit, I took an immediate dislike to him. As a confirmed hippie hater, I figured that anyone who bore such a close resemblance to Jerry Gar‑ cia wasnʼt someone to be trusted. The first time he opened his mouth, I realized I was wrong. This book was nothing like its cover. Though Gary had some hippie qualities, he was gregari‑ ous, opinionated and, most im‑ portantly, funny. He always found a way to lighten the mood
without being stupid about it. And he loved music. That was obvious. I looked forward to see‑ ing him at every Programming meeting not only because he was quick‑witted and knowledgeable in music that didnʼt always tickle my fancy, but because Gary was the life of our party. Then the news came of his passing. Though I was not well‑versed in all that was Gerloff, I always liked and paid attention to what he had to say. Since his death, every time his name has come up I see tears well up in peopleʼs eyes, and it makes me wish Iʼd known him better. The festival wonʼt be the same without him, but Gary and his indelible spirit will never be forgotten. And there you have it: these are some of the music nerds who do their part to make the Richmond Folk Festival the most important and most audacious cultural celebration in our city. Again, I feel compelled to apolo‑ gize for my lack of writing ability to do these wondrous folks jus‑ tice, but in my defense, even a writer of far superior intelli‑ gence would surely tie their head in knots trying to accu‑ rately convey the depth of these peopleʼs love of music. It is my hope that this little behind the scenes essay of who makes up the Programming Committee will entice you and everybody else on Godʼs good Earth to wit‑ ness the vast array of musical talent in Richmond during the Folk Festival. Me? The Folk Festival always relates back to seeing KISS as a wee lad so many years ago. The same sense of wonder, the over‑ whelming onslaught of sound and the zest for living that I took from that performance resonates still during this event I am so proud and humbled to be part of. I just wish my father were alive so that he could see that his love of music lives (and lives well) in his youngest son. Heʼll be there though. He can always be found in the music.
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Ukropʼs | First Market Bank Stage
Altria Stage
Richmond Times‑Dispatch Dance Pavilion
6:00 6:15 6:30 6:45
Opening Remarks 6:30 ‑ 7:00
7:00 7:15 7:30 7:45
Wylie & The Wild West (western) 7:00 ‑ 7:45
8:00 8:15 8:30
Paul Williams & The Victory Trio (bluegrass gospel) 8:00 ‑ 8:45
8:45 9:00 9:15
Swamp Dogg (rhythm & blues) 9:00 ‑ 10:00
9:30 9:45
Presentation of Virginia Heritage Awards 7:45 ‑ 8:30
Debashish Bhattacharya (Indian slide guitar) 8:45 ‑ 9:30
Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill (Irish) 9:45 ‑ 10:30
10:00 10:15
Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys (zydeco) 8:00 ‑ 9:15
Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga (East African rumba & soukous) 9:30 ‑ 10:30
10:30 Venture Richmond
Richmond Folk Festival
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Friday, October 9, 2009
Saturday, October 10th Ukropʼs | First Market Bank Stage
Altria Stage
Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill (Irish) 12:00 ‑ 12:45
Paul Williams & The Victory Trio (bluegrass gospel) 12:00 ‑ 12:45
12:00 12:15 12:30
Dominion Stage
Phil Wiggins & Corey Harris (acoustic blues) 12:00 ‑ 12:45
12:45 1:00 Swamp Dogg (rhythm & blues) 1:00 ‑ 1:45
1:15 1:30
North Bear (Northern Plains drum) 1:00 ‑ 1:30
Aubrey Ghent (sacred steel) 1:00 ‑ 1:45
1:45 2:00 2:15 2:30
Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys (zydeco) 2:00 ‑ 2:45
Debashish Bhattacharya (Indian slide guitar) 1:45 ‑ 2:30
Fiddle & Mandolin Traditions 2:00 ‑ 2:45
2:45 3:00 3:15 3:30 3:45
Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band (Jamaican reggae) 3:00 ‑ 3:45
Steel Bars & Bottlenecks: Masters of Slide Guitar 2:45 ‑ 3:45
4:00 4:15 4:30
Wylie & The Wild West (western) 4:00 ‑ 5:00
Sounds of Korea (traditional Korean dance) 4:00 ‑ 4:45
Sophia Bilides Trio (Greek Smyrneika) 3:00 ‑ 3:45
Paul Williams & The Victory Trio (bluegrass gospel) 4:00 ‑ 4:45
4:45 5:00 5:15 5:30 5:45
Trouble Funk (go‑go) 5:30 ‑ 6:15
Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill (Irish) 5:00 ‑ 5:45
Jerry Douglas Band (bluegrass innovator) 5:00 ‑ 5:45
6:00 La Gran Banda (Colombian brass papayera) 6:00 ‑ 6:45
6:15 6:30 6:45 7:00 7:15 7:30 7:45 8:00
Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga (East African rumba & soukous) 7:30 ‑ 8:15
Sounds of Korea (traditional Korean dance) 7:30 ‑ 8:15
Jerry Douglas Band (bluegrass innovator) 8:30 ‑ 9:15
Jorge Negron's Master Bomba Ensemble (Puerto Rican bomba) 8:30 ‑ 9:15
8:15 8:30 8:45 9:00 9:15 9:30 9:45 10:00 10:15
Bob French's Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (New Orleans jazz) 9:30 ‑ 10:30
10:30
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Gerloff/Parch Memorial Parade with No BS Brass Band (to Brownʼs Island) 7:00
La Gran Banda (Colombian brass papayera) 12:00 ‑ 1:00
Bob Frenchʼs Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (New Orleans jazz) 1:15 ‑ 2:15
Moges Seyoum (Ethiopian Orthodox singing) 1:00 ‑ 1:45
Virginia Gospel Traditions 2:00 ‑ 2:45
Church organ traditions with Dennis Stephens 3:00 ‑ 3:45
Paschall Brothers (Tidewater gospel quartet) 4:00 ‑ 4:45
Global Voices: Songs of Love, Home and Hope 12:00 ‑ 1:00
Lloyd Arneach (Cherokee storyteller) 2:00 ‑ 2:45
Khogzhumchu (Tuvan throat singing) 3:45 ‑ 4:30
Don Roy Trio (Maine French fiddle) 4:45 ‑ 5:30 Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys (zydeco) 5:00 ‑ 6:15
The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra (gourd ensemble) 1:00 ‑ 1:45
Yodeling 101 with Wylie Gustafson 1:15 ‑ 1:45
North Bear (Northern Plains drum) 3:00 ‑ 3:30
George Turman (JAM inc.) 12:00 ‑ 12:45
Harmonica 101 with Phil Wiggins 2:00 ‑ 2:45
Chris Fuller & Frank Coleman (JAM inc.) 3:00 ‑ 3:45
Richmond Folk Festival
Swamp Dogg (rhythm & blues) 3:45 ‑ 4:45
Reverend Frank Newsome (Old Regular Baptist singing) 12:00 ‑ 12:45
Genworth Parawing (Up the Hill)
MWV Family Stage
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Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga (East African rumba & soukous) 2:30 ‑ 3:30
CenterStage Virgina Folklife Stage
Lloyd Arneach (Cherokee storyteller) 4:00 ‑ 4:45
North Bear (Northern Plains drum) 5:00 ‑ 5:30
Maggie Ingram & The Ingramettes (African‑American gospel) 5:00 ‑ 6:15
NORTH BEAR: PHOTO BY DICK KETTLEWELL THE RAPID CITY JOURNAL
Richmond Times‑Dispatch Dance Pavilion
Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band (Jamaican reggae) 7:45 ‑ 8:45
Trouble Funk (go‑go) 9:15 ‑ 10:30
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Sunday, October 11th Ukropʼs | First Market Bank Stage
12:00 12:15 12:30 12:45
Phil Wiggins & Corey Harris (acoustic blues) 12:15 ‑ 1:00
Dominion Stage
Altria Stage
Paul Zarzyski & Wylie Gustafson (Cowboy poetry & song) 12:00 ‑ 12:45
Don Roy Trio (Maine French fiddle) 12:00 ‑ 12:45
1:00 1:15 1:30 1:45
La Gran Banda (Colombian brass papayera) 1:15 ‑ 2:15
Sounds of Korea (traditional Korean dance) 1:00 ‑ 1:45
Sophia Bilides Trio (Greek Smyrneika) 1:00 ‑ 1:45
2:00
Percussion Traditions 2:00 ‑ 3:00
2:15 2:30 2:45 3:00
Khogzhumchu (Tuvan throat singing) 2:00 ‑ 2:45
Aubrey Ghent (sacred steel) 2:30 ‑ 3:30
Phil Wiggins & Corey Harris (acoustic blues) 3:00 ‑ 3:45
3:15 3:30 3:45 4:00 4:15
Khogzhumchu (Tuvan throat singing) 3:45 ‑ 4:30
Debashish Bhattacharya (Indian slide guitar) 3:15 ‑ 4:15
4:30 4:45 5:00 5:15
Jorge Negronʼs Master Bomba Ensemble (Puerto Rican bomba) 4:45 ‑ 5:30
Sophia Bilides Trio (Greek Smyrneika) 4:30 ‑ 5:15
Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band (Jamaican reggae) 4:00 ‑ 5:00
Aubrey Ghent (sacred steel) 5:15 ‑ 6:00
5:30 5:45 6:00 6:15
Bob Frenchʼs Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (New Orleans jazz) 5:45 ‑ 6:30
6:30 Hours of Operation Friday, October 9, 6:00 p.m.‑10:30 p.m. Saturday, October 10, Noon‑10:30 p.m. Sunday, October 11, Noon‑7 p.m. FREE Shuttles brought to you by SunTrust SunTrust FREE parking and FREE shuttles, pro‑ vided by SunTrust, are available from both Spring Rock Green (formerly Beaufont Mall – directly across the street from Cloverleaf Mall) and the Diamond, for your convenience. All shuttles will stop at two festival locations: one at 2nd Street and one at 5th Street. Spring Rock Green: 7202 Midlothian Turnpike, corner of Chippenham Pkwy The Diamond: 3001 North Boulevard Friday ‑ 4:30 p.m. ‑ 10:30 p.m. Saturday ‑ 11:30 a.m. ‑ 10:30 p.m. Sunday ‑ 11:30 a.m. ‑ 6:30 p.m. The buses will leave every 15 minutes. Shuttle hotline: 804‑358‑4782
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Downtown Parking Parking at the festival is easy. Multiple $5 parking lots are available downtown. Central Parking Riverside on the James, 901 E. Byrd Street Riverfront Plaza, 901 E. Byrd Street Shockoe Bottom, 100 Virginia Street Crowne Plaza, 555 E. Canal Street Standard Parking 212 E. Cary Street 300 E. Cary Street (between 3rd & 4th on Cary) 4th & 5th Cary and Canal Streets 6th & Cary Streets 6th & Canal Streets 5th & Canal Streets 8th & 9th Cary Street (Dominion lot) 824 E. Cary Street (between 8th & 9th on Cary) City Parking 7th and Franklin Main and Foushee
Richmond Times‑Dispatch Dance Pavilion
Jorge Negronʼs Master Bomba Ensemble (Puerto Rican bomba) 12:15 ‑ 1:00
CenterStage Virgina Folklife Stage
MWV Family Stage
Genworth Parawing (Up the Hill)
Virginia Indian Drum & Dance 12:00 ‑ 12:30
Deep Country: Songs of the American Plains & Mongolian Steppe 12:00 ‑ 12:45
Spoon playing 101 with Bob Zentz 12:00 ‑ 12:45
Virginia Musical Icons 1:00 ‑ 1:45
Lloyd Arneach (Cherokee storyteller) 1:00 ‑ 1:45
Cantor Irena Altschul (Jewish liturgical Song) 12:45 ‑ 1:15 Larnell Starkey and the Spiritual Seven (African‑American gospel)1:15 ‑ 2:00
Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band (Jamaican reggae) 1:15 ‑ 2:15
Wylie & The Wild West (western) 5:15 ‑ 6:30
Joel Rubin Ensemble (Hasidic music/ klezmer) 4:00 ‑ 4:45
Lloyd Arneach (Cherokee storyteller) 3:00 ‑ 3:45
The Company Store (JAM inc.) 3:00 ‑ 3:45
Don Roy Trio (Maine French fiddle) 4:00 ‑ 4:45
Bob Zentz (sea chanteys) 4:00 ‑ 4:45
Richmond Folk Festival
La Gran Banda (Colombian brass papayera) 4:00 ‑ 5:00
Crowns of Richmond: African‑American church hat fashion show 3:15 ‑ 3:45
The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra (gourd ensemble) 2:00 ‑ 2:45
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Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys (zydeco) 2:30 ‑ 3:45
Nader Majd (Persian prayer music (tar)) 2:15 ‑ 3:00
Paul Zarzyski & Wylie Gustafson (Cowboy poetry & song) 2:00 ‑ 2:45
The Hummingbirds (United House of Prayer Shout Band) 5:00 ‑ 6:00
Handicap Parking Available Handicap parking for the 2009 RFF will be located at the Federal Reserve Parking Deck located at the corner of 5th and Byrd St. A traffic control officer will be on hand to allow properly identified vehicles into the lot. For on‑site assistance, visit any of our four information booths. In the Event of Rain The Richmond Folk Festival will go on rain or shine. In the event of rain, please visit in‑ formation booths located throughout the festival to receive an updated performance schedule. (There are 3 extra large tented stages so in the event of rain you can enjoy the per‑ formances in a dry environment.)
Admission The Richmond Folk Festival is a FREE event̶ you can enjoy the performances, demon‑ strations, and family area at no cost. Food, drink and merchandise are for sale. Bucket Brigade Help keep the Rich‑ mond Folk Festival a FREE event! A group of community volunteers carrying orange buck‑ ets will be circulating the festival asking for your support. All dona‑ tions made through the bucket brigade help di‑ rectly cover the costs of the festival. Thank you in advance for your support!
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MENU-MANIA! FOUR NEW, FUN AND VERY DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR A NIGHT OUT ON THE TOWN. With the opening of their second location, The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing now provides Richmonders with an on‑the‑ water dining experience. The restaurant occupies the top floor of the recently re‑ stored Power Plant building (which once provided electricity for Richmondʼs trolley cars). Owner Kevin Healy and designer Helen Reed of HL Reed Designs made sure that the restaurantʼs style takes full advan‑ tage of the stunning views of the James River and the city skyline. The spacious interior provides for an astounding amount of room for diners. Ac‑ cording to Assistant Manager Laura Silva, “there is seating for 150 in the dining room. There is additional bar and cocktail seating overlooking the river, a 30‑seat private room located one level above the main dining room, and Riverfront Tented Pavil‑ ion seating for up to 250.” Of course, while the views may be breathtaking, the focus is on the food. Con‑ cept Chef Gary Wood and Executive Chef Cory Sheldon oversee a menu of regional cuisine with a focus on seafood. Silva adds, “We have steak, pasta, lobster, Neapolitan‑ style pizza and raw bar options as well. We also have an extensive drink menu that in‑ cludes our specialty 1/2 carafe drinks.“ continued on page 38
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The Boathouse at Rocketts Landingʼs magical blend of light, water and architecture create the perfect sunset dinner destination.
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With the help of an architect, husband and wife David and Julie Sims Hassen designed The Belvidere at Broad (506 West Broad Street) to be a friendly, welcoming place for a dinner in downtown Richmond. “We opened on July 29th,” says Julie. “We live downtown and love both the diversity and convenience, and are excited to be a part of its revitalization.” As residents of Jackson Ward, the Hassens have renovated several houses in the area and wanted to try their hand at rehab‑ bing and running a restaurant in the city. They made sure that the refurbished building retained the structureʼs original charm with hardwood floors and brick walls. Open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, the 46‑seat dining room provides dinner guests with roomy booths and tables opposite a long, beautiful bar with an overwhelming choice of imported beverages. Chef Chris Hassenʼs menu has already won over its share of diners. Favorites including the house cured/house smoked salmon appetizer, jumbo lump crab cakes, smoked gouda veggie club, tequila grilled shrimp, gluten‑free organic veg‑ etable lasagna.
Check out ʻ5 Brews You Need to Tryʼ from The Belvidere at Broad on RichmondGrid.com Located in the 2C Building at 112 E. Clay Street is the brand‑ new Ms. Maggieʼs Seafood Restaurant & Jazz Lounge. Ac‑ cording to general manager Ryan A. Jones, “The theme of the restaurant was inspired by the history and the vibe of the com‑ munity. 2nd Street was once known as the black Wall Street, and we just wanted to bring that sense of class and heritage to the restaurant design.” The spacious restaurant is designed with a warm color palate, and includes a wall of framed photos of historic figures and contemporary celebrities̶including famed Richmonder Maggie Walker. With booths, tables and a large bar area, Ms. Maggieʼs provides cozy, comfortable seating and a tempting menu. “We are best known for our fish. We serve whiting [which] is a bigger and meatier fish. We also have our homemade crab cakes and soft shell crabs. And for those who love grandma's cooking we offer liver and onions, meatloaf and gravy, baked pork chops, and baked chicken,”Jones says. In October, this Historic Jackson Ward gathering place will offer a variety of entertainment ranging from live jazz to open mic poetry and DJs playing “smooth R&B and old school mixes.” Jones says, “We love being in the downtown area. With all the improvements that the city is doing to the area we are just blessed to be a part of the New Richmond.” On Broad Street near The National and the newly opened CenterStage is T‑Millerʼs Sports Bar and Grill located at the downtown Marriott (500 East Broad Street). T‑Millerʼs opened on August 23, 2009, and general manager Benjamin Scarborough couldnʼt be more excited to be part of this new Richmond hot spot. “We love being located downtown and to be part of the re‑ vitalization of Broad Street,” says Sarborough. Local design group Baskervill created a warm, fan‑friendly atmosphere perfect for checking out the game in the 162‑seat dining room. Being a sports bar, the focus of the dining room is the staggering number of high‑def flat screen televisions which provide a great view of the latest sporting events no matter where youʼre seated. But that action isnʼt just indoors. A spacious 42‑seat patio gives fans a place to relax outside with a ringside view of the ac‑ tivity downtown. And if thereʼs a chill in the air, Scarborough cranks up the fire pit so friends can gather around with their fa‑ vorite beverages. Chef Clark Wade oversees a menu full of comfort foods. Spe‑ cialties include Frito Pie, Cedar Plank Salmon, the popular Cookie Skillet Sundae, and local favorites James River Mudslide, and Belle Isle Iced Tea. With a variety of hand‑crafted draft beers, draft root beer, and signature cocktails, T‑Millerʼs should be the place you and your friends hit to catch some great sports action.
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The bar offers an array of one‑of‑a‑kind beers.
David and Julie Sims Hassen with chef Chris Hassen
Hostess Ventia Kitt
With a lounge designed to put you in the thrill of the game, T‑Millerʼs also offers cozy seating on its patio and intimate booths tucked away in the dining room.
Fast becoming a First Fridays favorite, the restaurant features a gallery of local art in the dining room.
The Fan District’s Taste of Cuba FREELANCE WRITER WILLIAM G. HAMBY ENJOYS KUBA KUBAʼS STEAMED MUSSELS & RELAXED AMBIENCE the small space just inside the door when inclement. For years the Park Av‑ enue location was the Stuart Circle Phar‑ macy, and if you can rest between bites of the locally famous Pressed Cuban Sandwich or Pork Shank or Paella Valen‑ cia while listening to salsa rhythms, and look around under the brightly colored mural rimming the room you can still make out the tall counter where pre‑ scriptions were filled; or the eight seat bar area near the grill, once the soda fountain. These areas are no longer the domain of white‑coated pill rollers and soda jerks, rather, Mannyʼs skilled and loyal crew, among them Isaias, on the job for eleven years, and on this day as he stirs a sofrito of red peppers, onion and garlic for the popular black beans, tells me about an upcoming vacation to his home in Oaxaca, Mexico. I donʼt know about you, but I really like the idea of talking to a talented chef while he cooks my lunch, in this case Camarones Y Mejillones De Kuba Kuba, gently sautéed shrimp and steamed mussels in a Tasso ham and cilantro broth served with Kuban Toast, which of course means pressed. And as Alex the attentive commander of the room says to me, “everything tastes better pressed!” In this case anyway, sheʼs right. Kuba Kuba, with a dramatic Ed Trask mural along the exterior wall, neon in the windows and bongos on the door, opens at 9:00 AM every day and closes 9:30 PM Monday through Thursday, 10:00 PM Friday and Satur‑ day, 8:00 on Sunday. We may all be able to travel to Cuba soon, and I hope we can, but as close as the island nation is, Kuba Kuba is closer. No visa required.
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Food
Bo Jones, Sr., Business Partner with Ryan A. Jones, General Manager
Manny Mendez is a member of the Red Sox Nation. And as a lively lunch crowd downstairs fills the 38 seats of Kuba Kuba (1601 Park Avenue) on a recent week‑ day, Manny fidgets at his office desk under the blue, red and white Cuban flag crocheted by his grandmother and keeps an eye on a Sports Center base‑ ball update on a TV in the corner. He ex‑ plains that he closes on Sundays at eight oʼclock so he can watch Sunday Night Baseball in the summer. He laughs and says, “Baseball...canʼt help it! Iʼm Cuban. I guess itʼs in my blood.” And like the baseball memorabilia on the walls of the restaurant that evi‑ dence one passion, so does a menu that he describes as “Latin American with a heavy Cuban influence.” Born in the cen‑ tral Cuban city of Camagüey and arriving in Richmond at 5 ½ years of age, with a father who came from Spain and a Puerto Rican mother, he might as well be describing himself. Actually he does describe himself: “Iʼm a Latin Mutt!” he says. His lively brown eyes light up as he tells the tale of his Restaurante y Bodega. First envisioned as a small grocery with a community table, demand for the food dictated that it evolve into a full‑on eat‑ ing establishment, and the legacy of those early days is still visible on shelves lining the walls. Among other items, one can buy “Kuba Stuff” such as Guava Mar‑ malade, Habanero Hot Sauce, strong Café Bustelo and enormous jugs of cidery homemade apple juice from A.P. Thompson Farms. Opened in 1998, and quickly estab‑ lished as a favorite neighborhood haunt, Richmonders have been lining up to eat at Kuba Kuba ever since; outside when the weather is agreeable, welcomed into
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Hamby at Kuba Kubaʼs lunch counter.
Downtown Treat: Chez Foushee Restauranteurs Andrew Hardie (left) and Dennis Spurgeon opened Chez Foushee in the fall of 1989 as a small deli and catering operation specializ‑ ing in fresh Mediterranean fare. A year later, a renovation expanded the dining area to accommodate growing de‑ mand. Business continued to flourish in all areas including boxed lunches, catering, carry‑ out and, of course, lunch̶all the while maintaining quality ingredients and a commit‑ ment to impeccable service. In the fall of 1995 the entire building was purchased and a major renovation expanded the dining room to its current 100‑seat capacity. And while the interior has taken on a fresh new look, the focus remains on the
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food. Favorite menu items from the past will be featured in an updated version and will highlight some sumptu‑ ous new choices. Future plans will include a cham‑ pagne cocktail menu, new wine list, and modern cuisine rooted in the classics. In addition to being a fa‑ vorite during the First Fridays Artwalk, Chez Foushee con‑ tinues to serve lunch week‑ days and dinner twice monthly. Aside from the pop‑ ular dining room, the deli does a brisk business of box lunch delivery and carry‑out. On‑site catering is available weeknights and weekends for private parties from re‑ hearsal dinners of 35 guests to cocktail parties of up to 100 guests.
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Before & After: Renovations that occurred several years ago removed the marbleized trim (below, left) and created an interior with a fresh, contemporary brasserie feel (below, right). In October, there will be random door prizes and special promotions. On Saturday October 17 you can take advantage of a reservation-only dinner for $20 per person that will highlight some classic dishes. For details visit www.chezfoushee.com.
A FIRST FRIDAYS DELIGHT: Chocolate Mousse Martini Decked with Grand Marnier Strawberries
WHATʼS KYRA WEARING?
SHOPPING SPREE
hanges in the season are good and incredibly refreshing. This is a great time to take a look at your wardrobe. Are you going to wear the exact same thing you wore last fall? Well, you should have some good pieces in your closet that are timeless. It is certainly not reasonable to get an entirely new wardrobe every season. But, you should re‑ think it. Take inventory and figure out what you need. A few good belts and an awesome bootie shoe may do the trick. However, you should take the time to update your wardrobe. I checked out Coplonʼs at River Road Shop‑
“What kind of scents do you like?” she asked. She had a little of everything. Baskets of handmade soaps made from lavender and lemongrass were set amongst vials of oils and balms. Lavender Tea Tree balm is soothing and cooling. Honeysuckle bath salts have a history dating back to William Morris’ nineteenth century formulas. Khabir’s aroma therapy products are available online at Etsy.com. For more info email at exoticessentialoils@yahoo.com Or call 804-228-3518.
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I am heading to fashion week in New York! I will tell you all about it and will get lots of photos. Last season I met Christian Siriano from Project Run‑ way, with my friend Jenni Lee Crocker from Rich‑ mond, at the Mercedes Benz After Party. Such fun!
Kyra Oliver is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and a runner who is passionate about her environment, from what she is wearing, to where she is wearing it.
West Main Design Co. is an upscale, boutique salon in Charlottesville, Vir‑ ginia for both women and men. Lead by Master Stylist Glenn Gibson, their tal‑ ented team offers a personalized beauty experience in a hip, fun environment. Whether itʼs just a trim or a fabulous new style, let West Main Design Co. help you look your best! Visit us online: www.westmaindesign.com 713 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903 9‑6 Wed.‑Fri. 9‑3 Sat. (434) 296‑7560
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Glitz & Glam
MOST GARMENTS CAN BE DAY OR NIGHT IF YOU ADD THE RIGHT ELEMENTS.
ping Center to see what they had lined up for the fall. Stepping out was never so much fun. I slipped on a pair of sequined leggings and topped them with Pedro Garcia black suede stiletto boots. I know. Sounds a little much̶right? But no̶not if done the right way. Combined with this A.L.C. Blackwatch Tux Jacket adds style that is bold and sexy, yet sophisticated. Accented with the Oscar de la Renta bib multi‑stone necklace gives just the right contrast to the spiciness of the leggings. It siz‑ zles and you will sizzle! Try some‑ thing new. And these leggings are fan‑ tastic with a sweater for a day or an early evening look. Adorn the outfit with a layered necklace or belt. You could pull your hair back to add an‑ other level of sophistication for the office. Keep it simple and it will work. Donʼt overdo it. The point is, most garments can be day or night if you add the right elements. Top a sexy dress with a jacket and it can be worn in the office. This al‑ lows you to maximize your wardrobe and provides flexibility for going straight to cocktail hour from the office.
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On a recent First Friday’s outing Grid encountered the mysterious, yet alluring, world of aroma therapy at Hanaan Khabir’s Exotic Essential Oils booth in the mall next to Quirk Gallery.
EXHIBITIONS Nick Kuszyk : “High Density Ritualscape #4” Acrylic
Marshall Higgins “Without a Name” mixed media collage
El Kamino: “Untitled,” Acrylic on wood & canvas
Long Gone Various Artists August 21st-September 26th @ Red Door Gallery (1607 West Main Street)
Chris Milk: “Gather” house paint on wood
colors. The dense compositions begin to take on decorative pas‑ sages not unlike those found in Gustav Klimtʼs work. The paint‑ ings are hung almost like a car‑ I feel two ways about the instal‑ toon page layout. Kuszykʼs lation of Long Gone, a group drawing has great line quality show featuring work by James with lots of detail work. One won‑ Marshall, El Kamino, Chip Seven, ders if he uses a magnifying glass Ed Trask, Brad Bacon, Chris Milk, to create the miniature worlds. Marshall Higgins, Nick Kuszyk Another standout with in‑ and Brent Loverde. And really it teresting line quality and zing‑ is a question for the curator. Why ing color is James Marshallʼs on earth would you overwhelm untitled enamel on panel. Four the gallery experience with a squares create a pinball‑dy‑ massive sculpture that inhibits namic of stripes and angles that the proper viewing of much of James Marshall: “Untitled,” enamel on panel work in high‑definition exacti‑ the other pieces? And particularly tude. Raised closinet black lines disappointing is that it is a piece delineate crisp complexes of that is really so‑so compared to geometric jazzy pink, acid green some of the other artistsʼ works. and slate blue passages. Indul‑ The beast in question is the gent decoration? Sure, but it is collaborative structure of local re‑ so impeccably executed that it claimed material by Nick Kuszyk succeeds more as an optical and Brent Loverde that involves than aesthetic experience. roughly assembled bottles, Commonalities among sev‑ brooms, stair risers, shutters, cabinet eral of the painters seem to be doors and wood. The found‑object this cloud or mass sensibility conglomeration reads like the af‑ where smaller components̶ Nick Kuszyk & Brent Loverde: sculpture installation termath of a natural disaster. Ship‑ sometimes referential like Brad and continue to extend the con‑ like in presentation, the amalgam of Baconʼs drawings of military guns struction to the walls to intensify spiraling out, or abstract as in Mar‑ materials really deserved a pure white the experience. space to counter the amassing of form. shall Higginʼs watercolor puddles on Frankly, Kuszyk collaborative Or the inverse is a possibility. If paper̶are combined to create a the artistsʼ intent was to modify sculpture pales to his wonderful large central amorphous shape. paintings. Tiny canvases of funny gallery‑goers behavior as part of the Higginsʼ pieces read like a col‑ robot antics are well‑hued in pop lage. Though there is multi‑hued pig‑ experience, then lose the paintings
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ment, his compositions are very black and white with texture created in crosshatching. I love the heavy tacks that mount thick watercolor paper. I donʼt see the foreground mass as married well to white space. It is just kind of there. On the other hand his “Without a Name” works both in inte‑ grated composition and in the muted green on glossy black color selection. Somewhat of a hybrid between Higginsʼ and Kuszykʼs content are Chip Sevenʼs globby cartoon compo‑ sitions. Also building densely popu‑ lated surfaces, unlike Kuszykʼs exacting renderings, the artist charac‑ ters are much more painterly. A kind of de Kooning meets Jean Dubuffet. Grounded in pure narrative are pieces from Trask, Milk, and Kamino. Milk creates folk art figures reminis‑ cent of Ben Shahnʼs style of drafts‑ manship and uses house paint that creates matte and shiny passages, the silver paint produces a great patina. Not quite punk and too painterly to be illustrational, the im‑ ages are flattened and caricatured like Norman Lewis jazz figures. Kamino is a hard nut to crack. The awkward, gray canvases of birds and prey, or fish against sunburst fall somewhere between tattoo‑inspired motifs and silk‑screened beach kitsch. The deadpan presentation doesnʼt seem to aspire irony. The am‑ ateurish execution and the bipolar extremes of colorless grays, greens and browns to garish selection of near‑florescent green and magenta are just inconsistent. All of this is frus‑ trating in that the artist is capable. The competent illustration‑like draw‑ ing shows talent. But Kamino seems only committed to an intaglio ap‑ proach of filling in pedestrian out‑ lined renderings with flat color. Ed Trask is another artist who loves to render more so than color. “Flowers and Bones” a mural‑sized, 6‑ paneled acrylic and oil depicts an overpass on Main Street composed with passages of Cubist slashes that break into the verisimilitude. Facets of color inexplicably pop forward or lay across the more illusionistic space. Pivotal to narrative painting is the balance of depicted form to the rendering process̶color selection, brushstroke and artifice in design. Clearly, this is Traskʼs row to hoe. Parts of the composition are uncertain and break apart the wholeness of the painting. More successful are his two smaller, painterly works in the show that are less segmented by the diag‑ onal slashes and seem more focused at capturing rendered space. BY TED RANDLER
You Light Up My Lantern
Creating Your Own ‘Season Ticket’ MUSIC CRITIC, PETIE BOGEN‑GARRETTʼS GUIDE TO REGIONAL LISTENING HOUSES
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SMITHER, PORTER, & IAN PHOTOS BY PETIE BOGEN‑GARRETT
RichmondGrid.com
Songfest
MORE REVIEWS: Dragana Crnjak & James Stroud @ Page Bond Gallery
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Throughout August, 1708 Gallery pre‑ sented a series of lantern Making work‑ shops in preparation for the community lantern parade that kicked‑off InLight Richmond on Friday, September 25th. One workshop with Matt Lively called Paper House Lanterns provided training to make a “placeable” light and discover the art of paper craft. All ages from children to college students and adults created nu‑ merous, small paper houses̶some to take home and some to place in an art in‑ stallation during InLight. In another workshop, Recycled Light, artist Noah Scalin used a variety of materi‑ als that would normally end up in a landfill or the recycling bin. The goal was to create a 1000 hand‑ made lanterns for the festival of outdoor light‑inspired contemporary art.
On my last trip to New York, in‑ Audiences are expected to be re‑ stead of shelling out $300 for a spectful of the artists, not smoke ticket to a blockbuster show at or carry on any conversations dur‑ Madison Square Garden, I had a ing the show. They offer great great time being serenaded by food and drink, have fantastic four singer‑songwriters at the sight lines, and you can actually Cornelia Street Café in Greenwich have a conversation with the per‑ Village for a fraction of the price. formers after the show. I recently With things being the way they spoke with Willy Porter after his are, we are all cutting back on our spirited performance at Ashland leisure spending. Con‑ Coffee & Tea. He told cert tickets for popular me that he “likes to acts at the major are‑ come here and play” nas and amphithe‑ because “this is a aters can be a big world‑class room right drain on the budget. here in the neighbor‑ That doesnʼt mean we hood.” Some of the in‑ have to miss out on ternationally acclaimed the all the fun. Fortu‑ acts that I want to catch nately, here in Rich‑ this season at AC&T in‑ mond you have clude Randall Bram‑ diverse and affordable blett, Cliff Eberhardt, options to create your Chris Smither, and own “season ticket” to Jesse Winchester. fabulous perform‑ Another listening ances. This year I am [Clockwise from top]: room is just getting picking my favorite Smither, Porter & Ian started this fall in Char‑ acts from the Modlin lottesville. On the site Center and the Cultural Arts Cen‑ of my former favorite Gravity ter and buying single show tick‑ Lounge, the Southern Café and ets. That still gives me the Music Hallʼs bookings are being opportunity to see Béla Fleck at U. handled by Starr Hill. Theyʼre the of R., plus Janis Ian and Livingston same folks who bring you the big Taylor in Glen Allen. If I add shows at the Charlottesville Pavil‑ Loudon Wainwright or Robert ion. Of particular interest is the Cray at the Paramount in Char‑ show billed as “A Multi Media lottesville, it starts to be a pretty Event with Califone,” featuring good basis for a make‑your‑own both their quirky new album and series. Compared to arenas, these their feature film. And, back for smaller venues provide a better another year is the Shady Grove quality listening experience and Coffee House. Run by volunteers have more amenities. at a church in Richmondʼs West The National also has some End, this series boasts some qual‑ amazing acts coming up this fall ity acts at very reasonable prices. but most of their shows are stand‑ Be sure to see David Mallettʼs ing room events. Bruce Hornsby is show and you wonʼt be disap‑ the rare exception, and in spite of pointed. In fact, by including the folding chairs, one I wouldnʼt singer‑songwriters in your enter‑ want to miss. Another event tainment plans you can be sure to worth braving the flexible seating enjoy your evenings out more for is Saffireʼs final Richmond than ever. Seeing your shows at show at the Gay Community Cen‑ these smaller venues ensures ter. The uppity blues women are youʼll have a great night out with wrapping up their farewell tour a friendlier crowd and much less just a few weeks later. hassle parking. Check it out! By far the most intimate set‑ Petie Bogen‑Garrett saw the legendary tings are listening rooms. Unlike folk group, the Weavers, perform live at bars and clubs, they offer high‑ Carnegie Hall in March 1963. She has quality sound reinforcement that seen her cousin, folksinger Arlo Guthrie, wonʼt blow you out of your seat. in live performance more than 30 times.
The Show Must Go On
[Above] The entire cast of the night rehearses the final cur‑ tain call. [Left] the presentation of High School Musical.
AFTER YEARS IN THE MAKING, RICHMOND CENTERSTAGE LAUNCHES A NEW ERA OF ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS IN DOWNTOWN. BY TED RANDLER “Itʼs a completely different place couple bantered, occasionally Community (SPARC), Theatre IV‑ if having just witness the entire with people in it,” an usher said ex‑ going off script as they introduced Barksdale with the Latin Ballet of production. Now, thatʼs theater! citedly as the mezzanine lobby filled performers representing 10 local Virginia, and Virginia Opera. The Elegba dancers were a with folks eager to see the Septem‑ theater, dance and music groups all Notable performances in‑ real crowd‑pleaser as were the ber 10th dress rehearsal. The media sharing the stage for the first time cluded SPARCʼs Les Miserables numbers from Barksdale Theatre had been invited to tour the addi‑ in history. The line‑up featured the medley. The cast, comprised of stu‑ and Theatre IVʼs productions of tion and renovations in High School Musi‑ all its opulence. cal and Thoroughly We were guided Modern Millie. into the auditorium But outside where a technical run‑ of the Richmond through for Saturday Symphony which nightʼs grand opening accompanied no performance was get‑ less than 6 of the ting ready to start. The eveningʼs acts, the sound engineerʼs booth night belonged to set midway in the audi‑ Richmond Balletʼs torium flickered with luminous pres‑ Daphne and Tim Reid Richmond Balletʼs showstoppers A moment from Winslettʼs Windows digital control panel as entation of the the house lights dimmed. African American Repertory The‑ dents and SPARC alumni, managed Final Section of Stoner Winslettʼs Though not quite a full‑to‑ atre, Elegba Folklore Society, Rich‑ within the few minutes onstage, to Windows. Part Moulin Rouge, part capacity audience, lots of the seats mond Ballet, Richmond Jazz create the swelling essence of the art performance (including car‑ were taken and a rousing applause Society, Richmond Shakespeare, musicalʼs banner‑waving majesty. ried orbs of light), the swirling cli‑ occurred as Tim and Daphne Reid Richmond Symphony, School of the Such that the audience cheered, max literally had the audience walked onstage. A good team, the Performing Arts in the Richmond some standing and applauding as gasping in surprise.
African American Repertory Theatre
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Elegba Folklore Societyʼs Marketplace Suite excerpt
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THE CONCEPT BEHIND HENLEY STREET THEATREʼS BOOTLEG SHAKESPEARE: ROMEO AND JULIET IS FAIRLY SIMPLE. FIRST, FIND 20 OF THE AREAʼS BEST ACTORS. HAVE THEM LEARN THEIR LINES BY THEMSELVES AND LET THEM SUPPLY THEIR OWN COSTUMES AND PROPS. THEN BRING THEM TO‑ GETHER FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME ON THE DAY OF THE PERFORMANCE. THE RESULT IS ABOUT AS FAR FROM MASTERPIECE THEATRE AS YOU CAN GET. Henley Street brings Richmond its first production of this kind in a one‑night‑only free perform‑ ance October 30th. It is the brain‑ child of James Ricks, Henley Streetʼs new artistic director. Ricks has seen and acted in simi‑ lar productions of Shakespeare plays, most recently with DCʼs Taffety Punk Theatre Company. It may sound like a new ap‑ proach to Shakespeare, but itʼs not. According to Ricks, Eliza‑ bethan companies had about a week to learn a new play before presenting it to an audience. “Itʼs an opportunity for ac‑ tors to show their mettle,” says Ricks. “They do their work inde‑ pendently and come in with their own choices. Actors can call for a line, and they do it cre‑
“This takes the ensemble theater concept to a bigger level, because you have to work together in the moment. Itʼs the embodiment of live theaterʼs unpredictability.” atively. Audiences are in for a treat. And letʼs face it̶the train wrecks are a lot of fun.” Henley Street Managing Di‑
Why did you want to act in Shining City? Inscoe: I couldnʼt wait to take director Bo Wilsonʼs brilliant mind as my guide in anything. McPhersonʼs play is challenging me as none have before. Itʼs written as people actually speak and that realism forces the actor to be absolutely precise in his understanding and interpre‑ tation of the characterʼs peripatetic thoughts. (Itʼs also a bitch to learn̶but anything to ward off mind decay.) Although written as a ghost story, the themes of guilt and belief are framed in ways that are inti‑ mately and provocatively identifiable to anyone whoʼs had to pick up and move on from a lost or soured relationship.
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Onstage
Bootleg Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet
rector Jacqueline OʼConnor agrees. “This takes the ensemble theater concept to a bigger level, because you have to work to‑ gether in the moment. Itʼs the em‑ bodiment of live theaterʼs unpredictability. Anything can happen and the reactions are gen‑ uine,” says OʼConnor. “Itʼs a little bit like The Carol Burnett Show.” Ricks and the actors will ded‑ icate most of performance day to blocking, the often‑laborious process of planning when and where actors will move on the stage. “I give them their en‑ trances,” says Ricks. “I coordinate traffic so they donʼt crash into each other. The lines are the least of their worries.” Ricks says that he likes the word “bootleg” because of its rowdy, illegal implications. But its lawless overtones belie a process whose strict parameters take per‑ formers out of their comfort zone. He recalls being “miserable” dur‑ ing the 45 days that he spent preparing the title role in Henry VIII for a Taffety Punk production. “Most of the other actors were in New York, so I couldnʼt cheat,” says Ricks. Ricks notes that most actors have a certain degree of stage fright but, “When the ball starts rolling, itʼs freeing. You donʼt have the directorʼs words in the back of your mind. Itʼs something that ac‑ tors dream about.”
Joe Inscoe acts in the Henley Street The‑ atre production of Shining City, by Conor McPherson. The play portrays a guilt‑rid‑ den man who reaches out to a therapist after seeing the ghost of his recently deceased wife.
PAGE VIEWS Wayne Dementi and Brooks Smithʼs book signing at CenterStage.
Elvis Presley, Shirley MacLaine & Jimmy Dean, Oh My! NEW BOOK CELEBRATES RICHMONDʼS BY DAVID SMITHERMAN COLORFUL CREATIVE DYNASTY The throngs of people milling through the CenterStage venue during the September open house also got a peek at a new book called Songlines of Rich‑ mond. The book, subtitled “a
celebration of performing arts, artists and stages,” makes a per‑ fect complement to the celebra‑ tion of the cityʼs new performing arts center. This second project by collaborators
Brooks Smith and Wayne De‑ menti beautifully evokes the cityʼs artistic heritage in the form of informative essays and historical photographs. The book manages to showcase a variety of creative people who have visited or lived in the city including Shirley MacLaine, Jimmy Dean, Bill “Bo‑ jangles” Robinson, and even Elvis. Venues and events that garner a mention include the 2nd Street Festival, June Ju‑ bilee, The National, Tantilla Gar‑ den, the Byrd Theatre, and many others. Smith is a lawyer and writer whose essays have aired regu‑ larly on WCVE Public Radio since 2005. He is also the new chair of CultureWorks, which will replace the Arts Council of Richmond. Dementi is a photog‑ rapher, past president of De‑ menti Studio and member of a family of photographers who have been capturing Richmondʼs landmarks and people for nearly a century.
OTHER RECENT BOOKS OF NOTE: Join Us at the Embassy by Summer Whitford (Palari, $16.95) Join Us at the Embassy gives an insiderʼs view of how foreign ambassadors and embassies in Washington entertain and showcase their countriesʼ food, wine, and culture. www.PalariBooks.com
Cancer for Christmas by Casey Quinlan (Peppertree Press, $12.95) is full of insight into how to survive, and thrive, after getting life changing medical news. www.cancerforchristmas.com
Enjoy 40 minute narrated tours of the James River and Kanawha Canal along Richmond’s Historic Canal Walk. These covered, 35-passenger boats depart on the hour from the Turning Basin between 14th and Dock Streets from April through November. It’s the best way to explore the canal system that George Washington helped found in 1789 to enhance Virginia’s trade with the west!
For46 more information or to reserve call 804.788.6466 or 804.649.2800. Visit venturerichmond.com. R I C H M O N D r iadprivate . C O charter, M