Greater Richmond Grid #11 by Palari Publishing LLP

DISCOVERING FALL TRAILS WITH

NATHAN BURRELL RUN, WALK & RIDE IN RVA

ACTiVE

FACEBOOK CHIC

CLEMENTINE

RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

& CLOVER

Maymont X‑Country Festival:

2 BOUTIQUES

TAP INTO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE BEAUTY & THE BEASTS

SIR RICHARD BRANSON

Rockets into RVA

CONNECTING LIVE + WORK + PLAY

BLOGS BOOKS MUSIC FAMILY FASHION BIZ SAVVY COMMUNITY INNOVATORS

FREE | ISSUE #11 | SEP/OCT 2011

rid G R E AT E R R I C H M O N D

ALSO ON THE GRID:

LETʼS GO OUT! NEW RESTAURANTS & COOLER WEATHER

CREATE YOUR PERFECT PATIO PARTY

RIVERSIDE DINING AT

CONCH REPUBLIC ROCKETTS BOOK BUZZ DAVE SMITHERMAN DISCUSSES THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN PUBLISHING & HIS NEW CELEBRITY BIO WITH

BILL HUDSON

HEALTHCARE

WITH HEART

DEBBIE JOHNSTONʼS CARE ADVANTAGE IS PART OF RVAʼS ECONOMIC STRENGTH

BANNER BRANDING

DESIGNERS

DISPLAY THEIR AFFECTION FOR

DOWNTOWN FUN

LIVE

LIVE CONTENTS

Greater Richmond

Grid

JANUARY, MARCH, MAY, JULY, SEPTEMBER & NOVEMBER

ShockoeForward is a newly launched web platform writing a new chapter in Richmond history that is playing out both online and oﬀ.

Greater Richmond Grid Executive Publisher Ted Randler 804‑355‑1236

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Ted@RichmondGrid.com

Hot Tweets

ACTiVE

RVA’S RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

Richmond Tweeple

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Executive Publisher David Smitherman 804‑355‑1035

#DSRPT11 Virgin Companies founder Sir Richard Branson rockets into RVA Downtown at The Richmond Convention Center on September 9th for the innovation extravaganza Disrupt 2011

Dave@RichmondGrid.com Palari Publishing Interns:

Colleen Callery | Caroline Robey Go to

Richmond Grid.com for a complete listing of

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the magazine’s distribution locations throughout the Greater Richmond Region. Also online, connect with Grid’s writers and photographers.

Social Media Math: Factoring the Plus and Minus Aspects of Google+

T0 ADVERTISE CALL

Thereʼs no getting around it, Richmond likes a shiny new toy. In recent months RVA has been abuzz about Google+.

804-355-1035 General comments, story suggestions and letters to the editor for publication consideration should be directed to Ted Randler at Ted@RichmondGrid.com.

PO Box 9288 Richmond VA 23227 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Opinions, views, treatments, diet regi‑ mens and business recommendations or resources represented in any aspect of this publication are those of the authors or advertisers and are not an endorse‑ ment by Palari Publishing LLP.

Social Media Key

INDICATES MEMBERSHIP TO

twitter.com www.myspace.com www.facebook.com www.youtube.com www.linkedin.com

‘Make Your Own Kind of Music’ BY TED RANDLER

thought it ﬁtting that in this season of early autumn music extravaganzas̶The Richmond Folk Festival and the 2nd Street Festival̶we lead with the refrain made famous by Mama Cass Elliot. While you can interpret the title in many ways; for our pur‑ poses, I like the notion of creating your own kind of RVA vibe as you discover the regionʼs unique and diverse live, work and play options. Itʼs no secret that fall holds a full schedule for the region in all communities̶with lots of busi‑ ness, culture and entertainment events occurring. The most recent addition to the burgeoning trend of profiling RVA as a hub of cre‑ ativity̶in everything from busi‑ ness innovation to entertainment and the arts̶is Richmond Uniteʼs #DSRPT11 (Disrupt 2011) taking place at The Richmond Convention Center on September 9th [page 6]. Blending a bit of Ted Randler

local innovator highlighting with social‑media networking and a dash of celebrity with a visit from Sir Richard Branson, the event is also designed to raise funds for local nonprofits. Speaking of innovators, ACTiVE [page 25] features two local CEOʼs in the health and well‑ ness industry̶Care Advantageʼs Debbie Johnston and Health Di‑ agnostic Laboratoryʼs Tonya Mallory̶whose companies show remarkable growth as they continue to create jobs at an impressive rate. As for discovery, there are vi‑ brant autumn scenes on display along public park trails [page 36]̶perfect for a casual stroll or invigorating run. Plus, with three new Downtown restaurants [page 50] and the premiere of the Rich‑ mond International Wine Excur‑ sion at Tredegar [page 54], there are plenty of entertainment op‑ tions to try. As I said, the autumn is a very busy̶and fun̶time. David Smitherman

A Working Mom ’s Internal Struggl e

Weighing the Positive s

& Negatives: Not Allber/Oc Septem Questio ns Have tober 2011Concret • Volume e Answer 1 • sIssue 5 • #5

Warning: Havin Will Kill Your Selg Kids f-Esteem

Kate Hall, publisher

splotchy things When my elde all over your st arms, mama?” Again, usually in a public place wanted me and often when thereʼs an attractiv to download e gentleman nearby to overhea r. 4.) I am regretta Michael bly old‑ school. When my eldest Jackson wanted Now, before me to downlo the hate emails ad Michael Jack‑ start flooding son on iTunes on in, Iʼm not propos‑ iTunes for him and I ex‑ ing we stop citedly shared having children that . We for him need them. For very same album̶ I had that goodness sakes, Thriller̶on who else is going cassette tape, and I excitedl to cater to me with a sort of sym‑ and listen to y pathetic look, he just me blabbering patted me on in my golden years? shared on the head. I know that when they are 5.) My wallet that I had that grown, these is critically, kids will be primed perpetually inept and ready for for their evolv‑ me telling ʼem about very same ing monetary the “good olʼ needs. Frequen days” in my tly theyʼll be all rocking like, “Mama, album WHY at the club, dancing chair (read: canʼt we have that, I mean in inappro‑ priate hot pants). you ̶Thriller̶ can just go to For their years the ATM, for of care and real upbringing that on cassette tape there is always more money Iʼve provided, I , you just stick your ATM card if know they will shower me with a sort of in there! All the with Humme other ls and kids go on teacups and cruises, have stuff that grand‑ unlimite sympathetic mothers dig. sprees at Target, d shopping (Kids, just bring and have a booze, okay? cook, maid, look, he just Collecting and and chauffeur, dust‑ ing really isnʼt why donʼt we?” my thing.) patted me on But back to my 6.) “You need point. Before a new car!” is having kids, the daily chant the head. I fancied myself I hear when a rather fun, not‑hor they climb

In This Issue Life in Shifts: A Richmond Dad’s View

Jeb Hoge asks, “How do you rebuild that coupleness when you can barely manage time for a hug without a kid being lodged in between? "

AGEAPPROPRIATE BUSINESSES OR CHILD HATERS? Exploring the ‘Anti-Kid’ Phenomenon.

in the backsea t of my dented‑up, grimy‑o lʼ Volvo‑ sexy‑m amawa gon, “this one is too DIRTY!”

rible‑looking, fairly normal chick. These days, according to my oﬀspring, I may be something else altogeth er.

thing. In the sunlight, it looks re‑ ally funky, and the kids often say “Mama, whatʼs up with your golden tooth?” Gee, kids, if you didnʼt shove Just a Few Exam all the wrappe 2.) My belly rs and extra is rather, um, ples 1.) I have a fries poochy. So much from the golden golden tooth. so that my four‑ arches and stick Being year‑old the graceful your 1,342 Happy has endearingly soul that I am, Meal toys in named my “Sasha” face met with it every availabl and frequently asphalt while e crevass, youʼd asks if she roller‑ can play skating in the be riding in a freaking with Sasha, usually neighborhood Rolls Royce. as a weʼre in when Oh, kid, resulting and thanks a public place in a front‑tooth for the yellow and itʼs re‑ cap ally, really that has never highligh quiet. ter on the right quite matched rear door, the other teeth, itʼs darling! 3.) Freckles even after three have overtak at‑ my body. en tempts at recappi I could go on The kids will ng the damn and on, but often say “so what is I gotta run . . UP with all . therapy those ment. appoint‑ Cheers!

: PAIGE STEVENS

RICHMONDMOM.COM MAGAZINE

PHOTO | KATE H ALL HEADSHOT

Greater Richmond Grid & RichmondGrid.com

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NO OFFSPRING, NO LEGACY Must everyone have a child to be selfless and mature?

RICHMONDMOM .COM

Warning: Having Kids Will Kill Your Self-Esteem

No Offspring, No Legacy Must everyone have a child to be selﬂess and mature?

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On the Grid

SOCIAL MEDIA Online App Clicks Into Community Knowledge & Experience

is published in the months of

WORK CONTENTS

Online App Clicks Into Community Knowledge & Experience

BIZ SAVVY Regional Business News

Legal Brief: Setting a New Place at the Table Why grant an ownership stake in your company to someone new?

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Just Ask Peter: Is the printed page going the way of the dinosaur? page 17

COMPANIES & CAREERS Local Business Forecast Offers Improvement Over Last Year’s Findings More than 560 business leaders weighed in, shared their story and shed some light on what the regionʼs economic future may hold.

page 18

INNOVATION Clementine & Clover: Creating Online & Local Clientele Boutiques create personalized shopping for local consumers as well as connect online with the social media community.

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A Banner Idea: Graphic Artists Show RVA Some Love

A prime example of living your brand, RVA Creates tapped into the inspiration of residents by launching a design competition for new street‑pole banners.

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Cash for Your Homework: When ‘Phoning In’ Your Productivity is a Good Thing page 24

BY PAUL SPICER

ucked away, nes‑ tled between Rich‑ mondʼs ﬁnancial district, are cobblestone streets and alleyways that tell a story. The story of RVA̶found in places like Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom̶is laced with many dips and turns. How‑ ever, one thing is obvi‑ ous̶Richmond keeps moving forward. Always. Today the story of the Shockoe neighborhood, and Richmond at large, can still be found around every corner of this historic dis‑ trict, but with a twist. ShockoeForward, a newly launched web platform, is writing a new chapter in Richmond history that is playing out both on‑ line and oﬀ. The interactive website, www.shockoeforward.org, is powered by The Shockoe Part‑ nership, a non‑profit corporation dedicated to the preservation and economic vitality of the Shockoe area. The site is driven by the core belief that the collective individuals who call Shockoe home are in a

make it better,” explains Katie Gilstrap, a board member at The Shockoe Partnership. Gilstrap says that in Spring 2010 the website framework was conceptualized by The Martin Agency and later put into play by a local software consulting ﬁrm, along with considerable beta test‑ ing by local individuals. Last month the handiwork of many of Rich‑ mondʼs top developers was ﬁnally hatched. The result is a user‑inter‑

Projects currently trending on the site revolve around Shockoe cleanup initiatives, driving hazards, dining, safety, and ways to better serve the neighborhood. unique position to best shape the areaʼs direction. ShockoeForward hopes to tap the diverse expertise and connections in the corridor through its network designed for sharing, improving, and creating what is to come next in its history. “The Shockoe Partnership is very excited about the launch of ShockoeForward and look for‑ ward to harnessing the collective wisdom of those who work, live and visit these neighborhoods to

face that is map‑based, allowing Richmonders to speciﬁcally locate and identify problems, issues, and opportunities by easily identifying with the physical urban space. To interact with Shockoe‑ Foward, users are taken through a quick sign‑up process, allowing account holders to then create a new “project” or join an active project in progress. Community members can also comment on other open proj‑

ects to provide their input. Proj‑ ects currently trending on the site revolve around Shockoe clean‑up initiatives, driving hazards, dining, safety, and ways to better serve the neighborhood. Gilstrap points out that as in‑ dividuals weʼre not always able to answer hefty questions but the collective knowledge of the com‑ munity can work together on the site to ﬁnd or create answers. As a result, ShockoeForward has quickly become a place for Rich‑ monders to post questions or ini‑ tiate a project that calls on others for help. As a project advances and the discussions heat up, the project owner can mark certain comments as “keyframes,” indicating a sum‑ mary of actions that helped resolve a project. Once a project is com‑ plete, these comments and keyframes can be accessed by oth‑ ers seeking similar answers. ShockoeForward participants believe that by coming together Richmonders can improve the Shockoe community by openly sharing thoughts, perceptions, knowledge and experiences.

Greater Richmond Gridʼs Emerging Media Editor Paul Spicer is a marketing consultant who has led small, medium, and large‑sized businesses to prestigious awards and appearances on NPR, CNN, New York Times, and Fortune Magazine. He serves as a partner at Etre Communications, a boutique marketing and public relations ﬁrm, where he works on accounts such as Health Diagnostic Laboratory. Prior to Etre, Paul co‑ founded Compleo, a digital agency responsible for applications on interactive platforms. Paul is a former

Style Weekly Top 40 Under 40 recipient, and VMFA Muse Award winner.

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I walked into the Verizon store last night & thought the CS person was crying . . . she blamed allergies, I blamed tiered data plans. 22 Jun

When I went to watch Britneyʼs new video on YouTube, I was served an ad for 60plus.org? #random 2 Aug

Do you think the people at the hair salon are going to laugh when I tell them I want my hair to look like [HRH] Kate Middletonʼs? 14 Jul

Just saw my ﬁrst bowling‑themed vanity plate . . . 1 Mar

You think you know a guy for six years, then come to ﬁnd out he only has 9 ﬁngers . . . 24 Jun

Pretty certain my neighbors think Iʼm crazy shooting photos of food in my pajamas in the rain. 3 Aug

Chicken cacciatore tonight w/ pesto pizza from our massive basil plant. Diet has fallen by the wayside . . . again. 18 Jul

See extended Tweet Talk on RichmondGrid.com

@thomasmcdonald

RICHMOND TWEEPLE COMPILED BY PAUL SPICER

Following: 1,758+ | Followers: 1,666+ | Listed: 121 + THOMAS MCDONALD Web: http://gplus.to/thomasmcdonald Bio: Communications strategist @feedbackagency & #SMCRVA board member; Idea guy, storyteller, design advocate, sports nut, loves games, good food & adult beverages. “I tweet because I enjoy the community, both locally and at‑large. Iʼve learned a lot from and about peo‑ ple from Twitter and I try to do my part, sharing my‑ self and other things I think they will ﬁnd interesting in return. At the risk of hyperbole, Twitter has been a lifesaver. I joined Twitter looking to create new re‑ lationships, engage with potential clients and stave oﬀ the impending economic downturn. I failed in the latter, but found a new career instead̶starting with To The Bottom and Back (@2BNB) and subsequently through my work at Feedback.”

PLAY CONTENTS ACTIVE: RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

Social Media

30 Jun

Hot Tweets

LIVE

Ok Google . . . youʼre pretty, weʼve been friends a long time . . . but Iʼm gonna need a damn good reason to break up w/ Facebook after 7 long yrs.

ACTiVE

RVAʼS RECRE ATION

& WELLNESS COMMUNITY

VOLUME 1 • IS SUE 4 • SEPTE MBER | OCTOB ER 2011 • #4

Maymont X-Country Festival I NCLUDING BOBCA TS, BALD EAGLES AND BEARS THIS FESTIVAL IS ONE , OF THE MOST BEAUT IFUL AND UNIQUE RUNNING EVENTS IN AMERICA

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECRE ATION & WE LLNESS COM MUNITY

@ChristinaMDick

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Following: 1,578+ | Followers: 1,190+ | Listed: 55+ CHRISTINA DICK Web: http://www.linkedin.com/in/christinadick Bio: @VCU grad | Junior Local Broadcast Buyer at The Martin Agency | Freelance contortionist.

SONGFEST RVA VIBE

“Recently I tweeted about a shirt sale that Ledbury was having because I ran into my friend that works there and she told me to pass it on. I was surprised how many people love those shirts. Iʼm getting used to Google+, and Iʼve been switching back and forth between Pandora, Spotify and Turntable.fm. Iʼm really into ﬁguring out how I could use these tools for things I do at work. I work with Nielsenʼs ratings for TV, but Iʼm re‑ ally interested in looking at what people are saying on social media about the TV shows that we buy or the brands that we work with.”

@WBWestpark (also @mattylake) Following: 230+ | Followers: 406+ | Listed: 42 MATT LAKE Web: wineandbeerwestpark.com Bio: You Enjoy My Wine & Beer “To be honest, I donʼt think my tweets are overly spe‑ cial. The most remarkable commentary I ever got from a tweet originated from a picture I posted of a calculator watch one of my customers was wearing on some Saturday night. There was quite an erup‑ tion, I think @KSiddall told me to retire from Twitter because it wasnʼt going to get any better than that. Calculator watches̶who knew? I think Iʼve ﬁnally found the right rhythm that blends Twitter with real life, so itʼs just fun right now.”

Three very different projects that are contributing to the regionʼs reputation as a hotbed of indie music.

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FOOD A Trio of New Eateries to Try Unique Downtown dining options oﬀer stunning sunsets at Rocketts Landing, a sleek wine bar, and a chic, revamped ﬁrehouse.

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Richmond International Wine Excursion at Historic Tredegar Featuring wines from more than 12 countries, the two‑day grape fete will take place on October 28‑29th.

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GLITZ & GLAM What’s Kyra Wearing? ‘YES YOU CAN CAN!’ Sitting Pretty at Can Can Brasserie

@accidental_chef Following: 903 + | Followers: 1,309+ | Listed: 67+ KENDRA BAILEY MORRIS Web: fatbackandfoiegras.blogspot.com | www.theaccidentalchef.net Bio: Writer, food gal, recipe developer and traveler for Better Homes & Gardens, Food Republic, Chile Pepper mag, Away.com and many more.

PAGE VIEWS Book Buzz David Smitherman surveys his role in conferences, evolving technology and as a co‑writer with celebrities.

“[I tweet] from 5‑10 times a day depending, mostly dur‑ ing the weekday. As someone who relies 100% on the money I make as a freelance food, bev and travel writer . . . which as you can imagine ainʼt saying much . . . I tweet almost expressly for work. I once successfully pitched an editor at a major food publication via a sin‑ gle Twitter message. On a separate note, I ﬁnd Twitter highly voyeuristic, especially when thereʼs a good amount of snarky chatter going on, so that gets a few personal points in my book.”

+ Ashland Resident Writes Powerful Story Blogger Rachel Reynolds talks about the challenges and rewards of writing her ﬁrst book.

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When Virgin Companies founder Sir Richard Branson rockets into RVA Downtown at The Richmond Convention Center on September 9th for the innovation extravâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; aganza #DSRPT11 (Disrupt 2011) , attendees will not only have a chance to rub elâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; bows with the polymathic business mogul and philanthropist, they will also have an opportunity to discover other national and regional creative thinkers who have BY TED RANDLER harnessed new ideas in commerce, culture and community. 6

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ur goal is to showcase innovation and disruptive ideas that have had a positive impact on society. We have a world‑class set of speakers who have revolutionized business, oﬀered new perspectives, and changed how we approach certain issues,” explains Alice Gentry‑Lingerfelt, Executive Director for Richmond Unite. With a tagline of “Innovate. Interact. Evolve.” the conference is serving the dual purpose of promoting the regionʼs

g an earlier tech n i c a l p nol dis o

gy .

that the market does not e s y a x pe w n i ct. e c vi

proﬁle as a center of creativity as well as generate funds for area social‑services organizations through Richmond Unite̶a non‑proﬁt organization that seeks to generate income for existing programs that support the regionʼs at‑ risk youth. “In addition to raising money for youth charities in Richmond, a key com‑ ponent of the Richmond Unite project is to shine the spotlight on this great re‑ gion,” says Gentry‑Lingerfelt, who has

worked either professionally or as a vol‑ unteer for many RVA non‑proﬁt organi‑ zations, including Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Habitat for Humanity, and the Richmond Choral Society. “We felt it was important to showcase local innovators and leaders, which highlights the Rich‑ mond areaʼs dynamism and underscores that Richmond is an innovative and cre‑ ative city. We also wanted to create a worthwhile and fun environment, and these speakers will certainly do just that!” R I C H M O N D

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Virgin as a mail order record re‑ Richmond‑based innovators as tailer in 1970 that later evolved diverse as brother entrepre‑ into the legendary recording neurs Jeﬀ and Joey Anderson, label, Branson has nurtured his Virgin Group empire to about whose Bio Taxi is a 200 companies in fully sustainable, green, 30 countries̶in and professional taxi industries as di‑ service; VCU Brandcen‑ verse as leisure, ter founding board broadband, travel, member Kelly OʼKeefe, tourism, mobile Chairman of OʼKeefe technology, TV, Brands and a national radio, music festi‑ speaker on branding vals, ﬁnance and and marketing trends; Alice health. Most re‑ Gentry‑Lingerfelt Andy Stefanovich, cently, Branson Chief Curator and Provocateur at Prophet, a has been making headlines with strategic brand and marketing Virgin Galactic, his venture

SPEAKER LINE UP

BIO TAXI is a Richmond based company that oﬀers a new kind of transportation service to the Richmond metropoli‑ tan area. By taking grease obtained from local restaurants and converting it to bio‑ diesel, Bio Taxi pro‑ vides Richmond with a fully sustainable, luxuri‑ ous transportation service.

of surrounding a visit from ATTRACTING TALENT Branson̶who happens to be a In many aspects, Conein himself friend of Hullʼs̶with an is the type of individual the con‑ event that would reflect Bran‑ ference seeks to highlight as sonʼs Midas touch of embrac‑ well as support by attracting ing innovation and creative talent to the his passion for region. evolving the way Tw e n t y ‑ t h r e e that “governments, years ago, he businesses and the founded TECHEAD social sector work with his partner and together̶driving wife, Philise Conein. business as a Using their wedding force for good,” as money as working Patrick promoted through Hull capital, they grew his efforts with their creative‑talent Virgin Unite. and information‑technology Once Branson embraced staﬃng services out of their

Co‑author of the 65‑million‑copy Chicken Soup for the Soul series MARK VICTOR HANSEN is currently promoting The One Minute Millionaire.

ating a sustainab “We are cre le pro

ject that we hope w

KELLY O'KEEFE has worked with clients like Wal‑Mart, The Home Depot, Hamilton Beach, Mikasa and Circuit City. He has also acted as a marketing consultant to two Virginia Governors and serves on the boards of The Southern Tech‑ nology Council, the VCU Brandcenter, The Virginia Council of CEOs, St. Josephʼs Villa, and several corporations.

with space‑ﬂight consultancy; and tourism. Anne Lynam Goddard, In 2009, Rich‑ president and CEO of mond Unite co‑ ChildFund Interna‑ fo u n d e r s Carroll tional, will comple‑ Hurst (a found‑ ment a line‑up of ing partner of nationally‑known social Keiter, Stephens, media, creativity and Hurst, Gary & motivation celebs in‑ Carroll Shreaves and a Hurst cluding “Chicken Soup” Director of Keiter series co‑author Mark Stephens Advisors) and Victor Hansen and David Karp, Patrick Hull (a businessman cofounder of Tumblr. and investor with ventures in technology, entertainment, pri‑ KEYNOTE STAR Then, of course, there is the vate jets, real estate, restaurants draw of having Branson in the and innovations in transporta‑ region for 24 hours. Launching tion) were inspired by the idea

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Mighty Casey Mediaʼs CASEY QUINLAN expects a strong turn out for the LinkedInLive RVA event at #DSRPT11.

and become a project w o tha r og t is t e u ill contin Also scheduled to speak is HARRY SINGER whose latest venture is Impress Your World, Inc.̶an innovative company fueling engines of success in ﬁrms shackled with lackluster performance from conventional marketing that fails to inspire or captivate untapped sales opportunities.

the idea, Rich‑ one‑bedroom apart‑ mond Unite began ment into an 8,000 reaching out to s.f. building in the the community for heart of Richmondʼs support. “Patrick Shockoe Bottom. [Hull] had been a As a Downtown client of mine,” business that traﬃcs says TECHEAD knowledge‑based tal‑ CEO Phil Conein ent TECHEADʼs future Phil who is also a Rich‑ Conein relies heavily on retain‑ mond Unite Direc‑ ing the services of tor. “He knew that Casey smart, culturally‑motivated and Quinlan and I were having community‑engaged individuals. great success with our Conein and Quinlan, who LinkedIn Live Richmond (LIL‑ owns Mighty Casey Media LLC, RVA) networking events. He had started the meet‑ups as an wanted to tap into the local so‑ oﬀshoot of RichTech, a technol‑ cial media community.” ogy networking organization.

hibits and a public soapbox̶a place where attendees will have about 8 minutes to share their own thought‑changing experiences.”

As for opportunities to frater‑ nize with Sir Richard Branson, the event will host an intimate gathering of about 50 people with his Lordship and other guest celebrities for a private, multicourse dinner and conver‑ sation at the VMFA. Following that, a “Richard Rocks Rich‑ mond” after party featuring a

Also attending # DSRPT11 will be VIRGIN GALACTIC ASTRONAUTS from Sir Richard Bransonʼs latest venture.

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t ora r and b a l l o c that will be

Speaking about B Corps at the event, JAY COEN GILBERT co‑founded and funded B Lab with a mission to harnesses the power of private enter‑ prise to create public beneﬁt.

More Richmond Unite “There are a number of events that support the Richmond Unite proj‑ ect and raise money for youth charities in Richmond,” Gentry‑ Lingerfelt says. “In addition to #DSRPT11, we also have been for‑ tunate to receive wonderful sup‑ port from the local restaurant community and we have ongoing Restaurant Nights, when local restaurants feature the Richmond Unite project. Weʼre also encourag‑ ing the public to vote for their fa‑ vorite youth charities on our website. Thereʼs a lot going on and more information about all the events is available online.”

r nd a o m h ic R ater the gre n i s n o RVA Music Fest y organizati by man

ea.”

If dancing until the wee hours at the VMFA sparks your yen for live music why not continue the vibe at the RVA Music Fest that takes place on September 10th and 11th? Saturday

DAVID KARP cofounded Tumblr in 2007 as a microblogging platform that allows users to post text, images, videos, links, quotes and audio to their tumblelog, a short‑form blog. In June of 2011, Tumblr surpassed Word‑ press in total number of blogs breaking through the 20 million mark.

from workplace diversity to car‑ bon neutrality, recycling, waste reduction, and donating a por‑ tion of proﬁts to good causes̶and highlight Vir‑ giniaʼs new law establishing them. The venue will also pro‑ vide displays for event spon‑ sors and a podium for local disruptive thinkers who will participate as speakers. “Village luncheon attendees will be able to speak with each B‑Corp that is represented at the conference and learn more about their organization,” Gen‑ try‑Lingerfelt says. “Additionally, there will be a few sponsor ex‑

oﬀers showcases at 7 venues in the city. “The local scene has been de‑ veloping great music for a while but

cabaret‑style cele‑ we are creating a sus‑ bration will be tainable project that hosted at the mu‑ we hope will continue seum for a fun, in‑ to grow and become a teractive evening of project that is bigger multiple bands and each year and that other entertainment. will be collaboration “The after party by many organiza‑ will be unlike any tions in the area,” she Sir Richard Branson fundraisers the Rich‑ says. “We see this in‑ mond area has seen augural event as a before,” Gentry‑Lingerfelt says. ground‑breaking for future in‑ “Sir Richard will stop by and credible experiences in Greater weʼll have a number of special Richmond.” and surprise guests.” For more on Richmond Unite “This is just the ﬁrst of as well as a complete list of many more to come,” Conein ex‑ speakers and events check plains of Richmond Uniteʼs con‑ out www.richmondunite.org.

#DSRPT 11

PARTY LIKE A ROCK MOGUL

ference. Citing SXSW, he envi‑ sions many ways that the con‑ ference could evolve. “I could see this easily branching out to emphasize our great music com‑ munity [see sidebar on RVA Music Fest ] or perhaps one year highlight our dynamic health and science industries and local innovation,” he says. “There are just so many cool things that the region has to oﬀer when it comes to creativity.” Gentry‑Lingerfelt agrees with Conien that #DSRPT11 is the ﬁrst of more conferences to come. “Guests and content may change from year to year, but

LIVE

They expanded their event to in‑ clude all RVA professionals who seek to network. Their summer meet‑up held at Legends Brew‑ ery had over 200 LinkedIn members. “This LILRVA will be much larger‑scale and include a day‑long branding opportunity in the Village,” Quinlan explains of the 4:00–5:30p.m. event held for the conference attendees after main general session of speakers at #DSRPT11. The Village luncheon will showcase Beneﬁt Corpora‑ tions̶a relatively new concept that holds businesses to ac‑ countable standards ranging

there needed to be a showcase to spread the word to the masses,” ex‑ plains R. Anthony Harris, publisher and CEO at RVA Magazine, the eventʼs sponsor. “The idea is to get major national headliners to pull people in and have the best of the local scene support them. This ﬁrst year we have Girl Talk and Best Coast headlining, both of which are on the national festival scene and make a great party. The hope is to have a massive dance party in the streets of Shockoe Bottom.” Click on www.rvamusicfest.com for festi‑ val details.

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Media Math: Factoring the Plus and Minus Aspects of Google+

hereʼs no getting around it, Richmond likes a new shiny toy. In recent months RVA has been abuzz about Google+. Hatched on June 28, 2011, many Richmonders began taking the new social network for a test

drive on an invite‑only basis. With demand quickly spiking, RVA wasted little time debating how G+ stacks up against its Facebook rival. Social‑media enthusiasts and the tech elite have since turned

their attention toward new fea‑ tures, like Circles, Hangouts, Sparks, and Huddles. Within two weeks of its launch, Google re‑ ported 10 million users, followed by an announcement that it had reached over 25 million by week

THE ABILITY TO ORGAN-

WHO’S DIGGING WHAT?

VP/DIGITAL STRATEGY DIRECTOR @ THE MARTIN AGENCY

ERIC WILLIAMSON

PR & MARKETING COORDINATOR AT LEWIS GINTER BOTANICAL GARDEN, AND PRESIDENT @ MOX‑E MEDIA

BRAD CARR

FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF COPELAND CASATI MEDIA

COPELAND CASATI

four. On the day the G+ iPhone app was ﬁnally launched, it quickly became the most popular free ap‑ plication in the App Store. We caught up with a handful of RVAʼs media buﬀs to make sense of this new digital landscape.

BUSINESS PROFILES ARE

MANY INITIAL GOOGLE+ USERS BUZZED ABOUT THE USER INTERFACE, TOUTING ITS CLEAN, EASY-TO-USE FEATURES. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT ITS USABILITY AND WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BELLS AND WHISTLES?

DOES GOOGLE GET A THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN IN YOUR BOOK AND WHY?

SHOULD THE SMARTY-PANTS OVER AT FACEBOOK OR TWITTER BE THE MOST WORRIED?

IZE AND TARGET CONTACTS USING THE CIRCLES FEATURE IS PRETTY SLICK. HOW ARE YOU USING YOUR CIRCLES?

Anything that is able to rack up 25 million users in a month deserves a thumbs up in my book. They have all of the ʻexpectedʼ elements of a social environment and were able to execute a masterful launch with limited invites to the digirati to build massive buzz quickly.

Obviously Google+ is on both of their radar screens at this point, but I think Twitter has the most to worry about. The types and volume of connec‑ tions that people are mak‑ ing on Google+ more closely resemble Twitter, and in my opinion Google+ oﬀers a richer stream of info.

[Beyond my personal networks] two of my circles are much more broad: Thought Leaders & AdGeeks and they have about 1200 connections within them. In look‑ ing through them, I noticed that they are closely aligned with who I follow on Twitter.

It will definitely affect my life since most of the brands we work with at The Martin Agency have a signifi‑ cant ʻsocial mediaʼ effort as part of their overall advertising. I suspect we will spend the first year just testing things out and seeing what works with Google+.

The user interface is ex‑ cellent. I love the news‑ feed and how clean and fast it is. The ability to shift your newsfeed by Circle is a nice touch as well, although I have noticed that I rarely ﬁlter down below the mainstream.

Thumbs up for sure. The trick will be maintaining momentum when the market opens to Google+ Entity Profiles (brand pages) and keeping people interested while they are still figuring out all the cool stuff it can do.

Both should be worried. Thatʼs the thing about Google+, it has the best of both worlds. The entertainment value and graphic appeal of Facebook, along with the accessibility of Twitter.

I love that I can share about certain topics with certain Circles, but so far mostly itʼs my social media circles who are on Google+. Family and other friends are slowly migrating there.

I think I will be better prepared when Google+ Entity Profiles launches̶because, as a beta tester of G+, Iʼve already built a profile. In fact, this fall when it launches, I have a hunch they will re‑acti‑ vate my old profile and save my Circles & posts.

The photos section is beautiful. I love how large & intense all the photos are. I like how you can catch the pulse of your Circles when you view the photo stream. Iʼm buzzed about Google+ instant upload for photos and Iʼm waiting for the iPhone version.

Google+ gets a thumbs up from me because Iʼm a fan of how simple the posts seem. Everything falls into place on the stream and itʼs all fairly uniform, like Twitter. Google has had the active user‑count high enough to allow for plenty of evangelizing to go on.

Twitter shouldnʼt be worried̶much of its design is an aﬃrmation of whatʼs been going on over at Twitter over the past two years. Google might have gotten the organiza‑ tion and collaboration done better from the get‑ go, but Twitter was there ﬁrst with micro blogging.

I keep the circles pretty simple. I like that the control is there, but Iʼve not found a real reason to post things to my circles yet. I like to think that content posted to speciﬁc circles isnʼt private on Google+, it's just not common knowledge.

On one hand, you canʼt blame a business for wanting to get into the fray early when that ﬂoodgate is opened, but the implementa‑ tion of branded pages are going to make or break the service.

Many Google+ users are touting the interface because itʼs relatively not as junky as Facebook has come to be. There also has been a bit of joy expressed by users for Google+ʼs lack of ads being grouped in with the interface.

Thumbs up̶there is currently less noise so there is a better opportunity to connect with those I want to reach. Just yesterday I had a great conversation with my favorite architecture writer.

Facebook, but not just for Google+ . . . hello, Anonymous on Nov. 5th.* Facebookʼs constant privacy issues have eroded user conﬁdence, while Twitter people are comfortable using multi‑ ple platforms to connect.

I put people in cate‑ gories like ʻdata,ʼ ʻfarm‑ ing,ʼ ʻarchitecture,ʼ but Iʼm careful not to create a wall of noise even in my general stream. Similarly, Iʼm careful not to push too much content, too often, on Google+.

EVERY person on Google+ is already representing a clear larger business objec‑ tive, with their personal [brand]. However will I be compelled to circle business brands enthu‑ siastically on Google+? For myself, I doubt it.

I like Sparks similarly to check on news on subjects that interest me. I admit I use video calls often. For one biweekly call, our team is here, in France, Chile, and Luxem‑ bourg! But public huddles...meh.

JONAH HOLLAND

TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST @ FEEDBACK AGENCY

BY PAUL SPICER

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NOT CURRENTLY SUPPORTED BY GOOGLE+, HOW WILL LIFE CHANGE FOR YOU WHEN BRAND PROFILES ARE AN OPTION?

* Citing privacy concerns, the hacker group Anonymous has vowed to destroy Facebook on November 5th.

See extended responses on RichmondGrid.com

A Working Mom’s Internal Struggle Weighing the Positives & Negatives: Not All Questions Have Answers September/October 2011Concrete • Volume 1 • Issue 5 • #5

Warning: Having Kids Will Kill Your Self-Esteem

PHOTO | KATE HALL HEADSHOT: PAIGE STEVENS

or any expectant parents out there, disclaimer: please do not continue reading this if youʼd like to con‑ tinue on in your dreamy, nurs‑ ery‑painting, bib‑folding, bootie‑cooing state of blissful ex‑ pectation. Your world is about to get rocked. Now, before the hate emails start flooding in, Iʼm not propos‑ ing we stop having children. We need them. For goodness sakes, who else is going to cater to me and listen to me blabbering on in my golden years? I know that when they are grown, these kids will be primed and ready for me telling ʼem about the “good olʼ days” in my rocking chair (read: at the club, dancing in inappro‑ priate hot pants). For their years of care and upbringing that Iʼve provided, I know they will shower me with Hummels and teacups and stuff that grand‑ mothers dig. (Kids, just bring booze, okay? Collecting and dust‑ ing really isnʼt my thing.) But back to my point. Before having kids, I fancied myself a rather fun, not‑horrible‑looking, fairly normal chick. These days, according to my oﬀspring, I may be something else altogether.

Just a Few Examples 1.) I have a golden tooth. Being the graceful soul that I am, my face met with asphalt while roller‑ skating in the neighborhood as a kid, resulting in a front‑tooth cap that has never quite matched the other teeth, even after three at‑ tempts at recapping the damn

When my eldest wanted me to download Michael Jackson on iTunes for him and I excitedly shared that I had that very same album ̶Thriller̶ on cassette tape, with a sort of sympathetic look, he just patted me on the head. thing. In the sunlight, it looks re‑ ally funky, and the kids often say “Mama, whatʼs up with your golden tooth?” 2.) My belly is rather, um, poochy. So much so that my four‑ year‑old has endearingly named it “Sasha” and frequently asks if she can play with Sasha, usually when weʼre in a public place and itʼs re‑ ally, really quiet. 3.) Freckles have overtaken my body. The kids will often say “so what is UP with all those

Kate Hall, publisher

splotchy things all over your arms, Mama?” Again, usually in a public place and often when thereʼs an attractive gentleman nearby to overhear. 4.) I am regrettably old‑ school. When my eldest wanted me to download Michael Jack‑ son on iTunes for him and I ex‑ citedly shared that I had that very same album̶Thriller̶on cassette tape, with a sort of sym‑ pathetic look, he just patted me on the head. 5.) My wallet is critically, perpetually inept for their evolv‑ ing monetary needs. Frequently theyʼll be all like, “Mama, WHY canʼt we have that, I mean you can just go to the ATM, for real there is always more money if you just stick your ATM card in there! All the other kids go on cruises, have unlimited shopping sprees at Target, and have a cook, maid, and chauffeur, why donʼt we?” 6.) “You need a new car!” is the daily chant I hear when they climb in the backseat of my dented‑up, grimy olʼ Volvo‑ sexy‑mamawagon, “this one is too DIRTY!” Gee, kids, if you didnʼt shove all the wrappers and extra fries from the golden arches and stick your 1,342 Happy Meal toys in every available crevasse, youʼd be riding in a freaking Rolls Royce. Oh, and thanks for the yellow highlighter on the right rear door, itʼs darling! I could go on and on, but I gotta run . . . therapy appoint‑ ment. Cheers!

In This Issue Life in Shifts: A Richmond Dad’s View

Jeb Hoge asks, “How do you rebuild that coupleness when you can barely manage time for a hug without a kid being lodged in between?"

AGEAPPROPRIATE BUSINESSES OR CHILD HATERS? Exploring the ‘Anti-Kid’ Phenomenon

NO OFFSPRING, NO LEGACY Must everyone have a child to be selfless and mature? RICHMONDMOM.COM

Life in Shifts: A Richmond Dad’s View hen we got married in our 20s, we wanted a family. When we hit our early 30s, we had one child. No big deal, one might think, since a set of parents outnumbers that baby 2 to 1. How hard can it be? “Oh, here, honey, let me hold him” was our common re‑ frain, relieving each other of duty whenever a break was needed, but we were two parents focused on one child, making it very much a shared effort, and there was beauty in that. Then when we evened up the sides with our second baby when the first was just turning 3, I re‑ member thinking “Wow, itʼs a little busier now,” especially since this in‑ fant was a dedicated nurser (unlike the first, who had been all bottles) and I, as the male component, couldnʼt do a thing to help in that regard. My role, then, largely turned into wrangling the older child, and before long it started to

Now, weʼre outnumbered, and while I canʼt begin to describe the blessing of three happy, healthy, active, and funny boys . . . it has led to a jarring shift in the way that we live our daily lives.

register how much time he and I spent separated from my wife and the baby. Now, weʼre out‑ numbered, and while I canʼt begin to de‑ scribe the blessing of three happy, healthy, active, and funny boys (each three years younger than the next), it has led to a jarring shift in the way that we live our daily lives. Weʼve gone from child‑rais‑ ing being a shared effort to being life in a set of shifts, each one focused on specific boys doing specific functions, and our coping mechanisms are some‑ what thwarted. As a stay‑at‑home mom nurs‑ ing an infant, of course, my wifeʼs

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central focus now is on the youngest, but sheʼs cried tears over the feeling that sheʼs not taking care of the rest of her family; during the day shift, getting all three into the car and out for errands is a monumental effort and one that she usually just doesnʼt tackle unless she has to. The after‑ work shift entails me either spiriting away the baby for a quiet walk around the neigh‑ borhood or taking one or both of the older boys off to swim, or play, or go to Scouts, or do whatever is on the agenda. The dinner shift often is split up, with the older boys scarfing down food they like or picking through food they donʼt like, and my wife and I each eating our meal before switching off to mind whichever child is needing attention that night, although sometimes we still do manage to sit together for dinner as a family at the table. Then, the bathtime/sto‑ rytime/bedtime shift is almost al‑ ways my domain, stretching out as much as an hour of the evening as I get the two older boys down to sleep, while my wife takes the baby away for quiet nursing and rest. Fi‑ nally, our own quiet time is limited to whateverʼs left on the clock be‑ fore Iʼve got to get to bed before my next workday, and the baby still takes charge of that night shift whenever he wants to. Check in, work, check out, rest (or more work), check in, work again . . . life in shifts, for a work‑ force of two. Our routine is by no means se‑ vere, and weʼre lucky enough to have each other to help get through it, but still, I canʼt get past a certain feeling that we chose to break down our relationship as a couple in order to set up our rela‑ tionship as parents. We were lucky enough (or unlucky enough, de‑

pending on your point of view) to have nine years to ourselves before children, and our plan in all that time was to be parents, so I think that we had plenty of preparation to get to this point and through it without falling apart as a couple. But what happens to those who were surprised, or didnʼt have that time, or just maybe werenʼt as ready for it as they thought? Might that explain some breakdowns in marriages? Does it explain the problems with coping skills that lead some parents to go on strike? Or do people just not see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, or that there is a way to survive the shift work and re‑establish the bond of “couple” either within the mantle of “family” or as an external force, holding it more tightly than before? How do you rebuild that coupleness when you can barely manage time for a hug without a kid being lodged in between? As parents, we know that weʼre always going to have our kids in mind. I donʼt think thereʼs ever been a case of parents who, having left behind the kids in someoneʼs care, didnʼt talk or think about their oﬀspring while away, no matter how glamorous or relaxing or en‑ gaging their time away is. However, for parents of young children, I think itʼs extra diﬃcult to visualize that itʼs OK for the couple to come back in the place of the parents. Weʼre always sensitive to the possi‑ bility of being needed right away. We think we hear their voices, even if we know we donʼt. We wonder if everythingʼs OK back home and compulsively look at our cell‑ phones to make sure we didnʼt somehow miss a call. We know that someday weʼll be able to leave all of the kids with a sitter (and someday after that, leave them without one), and one day our kids will leave us. One day weʼll be able to become more “cou‑ ple” than “parents” again, enjoying the benefits of both without the responsibilities overshadowing them. Until then, the best we can do is savor the quiet mo‑ ments as parents and remember when we wanted to have the life we have now.

HOGE IS A FREELANCE WRITER WHO FOCUSES ON TECHNOLOGY, DEFENSE, AUTOMOTIVE, AVIATION AND ENTERTAINMENT TOPICS. HTTP://JEBHOGEWRITES.BLOGSPOT.COM/

Age-Appropriate Businesses or Child Haters? Exploring the ‘Anti-Kid’ Phenomenon

ne of our faithful readers alerted us to the article she saw this morning on kids being banned from restaurants so that adults could dine in peace. I decided to investigate. Would I bring my kids to Ruthʼs Chris? Probably not, but my kids are heathens much of the time, after all. Sweet heathens, but heathens nonetheless. So I read the article, and clicked on the links. Then I realized, this wasnʼt just one childless au‑ thorʼs opinion. This was the path to a movement. There are groups for those who donʼt want children, like the one on the NoKidding.net website. There are women who blog about being in the “Non‑Mom Club” sim‑ ply by circumstance of marriage. But one site referenced in the dining article led me to Happy‑ Childfree.com, where restaurants are oﬀered to those who donʼt

See extended articles on RichmondMom.com BY KATE HALL

Why can’t we be friends

want the “Chuck E Cheese crowd.” Ini‑ tially, it appeared to be a site geared towards those who didnʼt want to dine around chil‑ dren. This turned out to be chock full of information on where to dine to avoid noisy little crumbsnatchers and much more. Iʼd learned a bit more about the childfree revolu‑ tion last week after writing an article on a friend who has yet to have children (and societyʼs reactions to the childless). Wanting to explore both sides of the coin, I had to investigate people who simply didnʼt want children. After reading HappyChild‑

free.com, I gained an education. Take for example the “Childfree Lingo” page, a sort of glos‑ sary for the Child‑Free with entries such as: “Breeder” that refers to a crappy parent; “Freaklitter” a term for a large number of ba‑ bies in one pregnancy, due to fertility treat‑ ments; and “Prostitot” that refers underage kids who are dressed up to be far too sex‑ ual. According to the glossary, “This applies to the 14‑ year‑olds whose parents let them dress like prostitutes, but also ap‑ plies to toddlers that parents will dress up in inappropriate t‑shirts that are suggestive.” One term, “Kodak Moments” cites when mainstream media tries

to perpetuate or sell people on par‑ enthood through “picture perfect” moments, such as a guy teaching his son to play football or a woman dressing her little girl up in cute clothes. HappilyChildfree.com maintains that these Kodak Mo‑ ments have no basis in the day‑ to‑day challenges of really raising children. I was almost afraid to keep clicking, until that site led me to SelﬁshHeathens.com, a site for atheist and agnostic individuals who also wish to remain childfree. To each his own, I thought as I clicked a few more pages, then re‑ alized that I would be considered a LURKER and I may end up on the “Troll Blacklist” and I think this is a bad thing. So I exited the page and de‑ cided to go back to my comfort‑ able little world̶the one behind my rose‑colored glasses̶where I hope we can all just get along.

No Oﬀspring, No Legacy Must everyone have a child to be selfless and mature?

ords very similar to the above headline were spo‑ ken to a friend recently, as referenced as a post on her Face‑ book page. The gist: because she didnʼt currently have children, it was sad that she would have no legacy to leave behind. I read them, then re‑read them, then chewed on them, then spit out a response of support/dis‑ gust/sympathy. Now, donʼt get me wrong̶ Iʼm clearly in support of moms (and all parents), through and through (I started RichmondMom.com, didnʼt I?) but I understand, support, and respect that not every individual in this world wants to rear children (insert gasp here). The irony related to this com‑ ment, however, was that the recip‑ ient, my friend, doesnʼt happen to have children̶yet̶but may very much like to someday. The insinu‑ ation is that because she is a pro‑ fessional woman who is unmarried and hasnʼt yet had a child, she will not leave a legacy in this world. Sheʼs not the only person fac‑ ing this issue. In fact, many books have been written on the topic: One is Beyond Childlessness by

Rachel Black and Louise Scull writ‑ ten for every woman who wanted to have a child, but didnʼt, whether by choice or circumstance. White women are more likely to remain childless according to an article in May 10, 2011′ s USA Today, citing one of the reasons as a “delayer boom” because educated women are investing more time in their ca‑ reers and putting oﬀ starting a fam‑ ily more and more. When many of these women decide to have chil‑ dren, they face fertility challenges that are often costly and emotion‑ ally exhausting. What if they donʼt have that baby they dream of? Will they still leave a legacy behind in this world long after theyʼre gone? The answer is: of course they will. Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks were both childless, and the Civil Rights movement would never have made such strides without their leadership. And my friend may never gain Rosa Parksʼ notoriety, but she has given her incredible gift of time in the Richmond commu‑ nity for a childrenʼs non‑proﬁt̶so every single day, she is building her legacy in the hearts of families BY KATE HALL whom she assists.

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FROM TEEN IDOL TO TABLOID TARGET

So You Are a Star: Coming to terms with Fame, Infatuation, and Family BY BILL HUDSON WITH DAVE SMITHERMAN Bill Hudson of The Hudson Brothers, ex-spouse of Goldie Hawn, explores in this book aspects of the family dealing with fame, marriage, divorce, and the ugliness that can cause relationships between parent and child to become stilted. Hudson was born in Portland Oregon, where he rose to fame as part of The Hudson Brothers act in the ’70s. Once married to Goldie Hawn, he is the father of Oliver & Kate Hudson.

RELEASE DATE Oct. 31, 2011 Preorder at Amazon.com or BN.com

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Cuore to Hire Four Hundred By End of Year ney Catalog Center in Chesterﬁeld. Employees sell a range of products, from magazines to travel pack‑ ages, making an average of $15 an hour.

A Montpelier resident with over 15 years of economic develop‑ ment experience in both state and local government as well as the private sector, Edwin A. Gaskin was announced as Hanover Countyʼs Director of Economic Development by Hanover County Administrator Cecil R. Harris Jr. in August. “Edwin brings great energy to the position and he has a track record of making things happen,” Harris said. “We are confident that his mix of public sector and private sector expe‑ rience will be of great benefit to Hanover County.” Harris said that the recruit‑ ment team was “especially im‑ pressed” by Gaskinʼs research into the countyʼs Economic De‑ velopment Strategic Plan as well as “his interest in cultivating small businesses, to provide a ladder program for them to grow.” Harris added, “He has the ability to take data and analysis and successfully translate this into business strategies for prospective clients.” Since 2004, Gaskin has been self‑employed as president of Echelon Resources, Inc., a real estate advisory/development firm that focuses on development consulting and the adaptive re‑ use of historic structures. At Echelon Resources, Inc., Gaskinʼs responsibilities included analyzing the feasibil‑ ity of sites, developing finan‑

Gaskin: “Hanover County is well‑positioned for continued smart growth.”

cial models, managing investor participation, securing per‑ mits, managing vendor selec‑ tion and construction activities and supervising sales and/or leasing activities. Prior to his entrepreneurial experience with Echelon Re‑ sources, Gaskin worked in vari‑ ous positions with the City of Richmond from 1998‑2004, ending as Deputy Director of Economic Development. During his tenure he managed many City major economic develop‑ ment initiatives, including Rock‑ etts Landing, Riverside on the James, the Federal Courts Build‑ ing, Miller and Rhoads and many others. Gaskin said that Hanover County is “well‑positioned for continued smart growth.” “It has dedicated residents, innovative leadership, a thriving business community and a qual‑ ity of life that is second‑to‑none,” he said.

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owners, and other potential business partners. The Rich‑ mond Region is defined as the City of Richmond, Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent Counties. “Our organizationsʼ mis‑ sions are to grow the regional economy by attracting tourists, conventions and meetings, and generate new capital invest‑ ment and high‑quality jobs. We also focus on the retention of existing businesses and the continued improvement of the regionʼs business climate,” said RMCVB President and CEO Jack Berry. “We are excited to partner on this video project with two regional organizations with sim‑ ilar missions to grow Greater Richmondʼs economy,” said GRP President and CEO Gregory H. Wingfield. “Having high‑quality, visually‑appealing videos show‑ casing our region will serve as a terrific marketing tool in helping us globally promote Greater Richmond as an ideal place to live, work and play.” “Having the specific oppor‑ tunity be a part of this video se‑ ries̶Come and Visit, Come and Stay̶will only enhance the ex‑ posure of the Richmond areaʼs retail community,” says Nancy Thomas, President/CEO of the Retail Merchants Association.

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Biz Savvy

Edwin A. Gaskin Tapped as Director of Hanover County’s Economic Development

In August Governor Bob Mc‑ Donnell announced that the Richmond Metropolitan Con‑ vention and Visitors Bureau (RMCVB), Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP) and Retail Merchants Association (RMA) received $50,000 in grant funds from the Virginia Tourism Cor‑ poration (VTC) Marketing Leverage Grant Fund program. Governor McDonnell recently in‑ creased funding for the program as part of his administrationʼs ef‑ forts to increase economic de‑ velopment through tourism. In total VTC awarded more than $800,000 for more than 40 tourism marketing projects across the state to increase visi‑ tation and revenue for Virginiaʼs localities through tourism. RMCVB, GRP and RMA will utilize the granted funds to pro‑ duce high deﬁnition b‑roll footage and a video series, “Greater Richmond: Come and Visit, Come and Stay.” The series will serve as a marketing tool to promote the regionʼs tourism and economic development opportunities. The videos will have multiple distri‑ bution channels including web‑ sites and social media, and will be used for communications with travel media, meeting plan‑ ners, sports event organizers, group tour operators, business

WORK

Cuore, a new telemarketing ﬁrm, is planning to hire up to 400 by the end of the year. The company is lo‑ cated in the same building that once housed a J.C. Pen‑

RVA In High Def: Business & Tourism Marketing Organizations Receive $50k to Promote ‘Come and Visit, Come and Stay’

BIZ SAVVY

Legal Brief

BY CHRIS GATEWOOD

SETTING A NEW PLACE AT THE TABLE In my column”Because Breaking Up is Hard To Do” (Greater Rich‑ mond Grid Issue #10), I examined a difficult situation faced by many business owners at some time in their lives̶needing to part ways with a co‑owner. This time, we will examine some important consider‑ ations for the opposite process: granting an ownership stake to someone new. There are a number of rea‑ sons to give some equity to some‑ one new. Businesses merge, new people can provide an infusion of cash or talent, or both. Equity can also be the ultimate re‑ tention tool for an employee who has proven herself to be a trusted performer. The reason for giving someone new an equity stake will tell you a lot about how it should be done. If it is a retention tool, giving a key employee some equity can keep some‑ one from jumping ship. It will also help to keep their personal goals in line with those of the company. If someone brings a big check to the table, they will expect their ownership share to be determined by the amount invested, as a fraction of the companyʼs overall valuation. Keep in mind that newly shared owner‑ ship does not need to be shared equally, and it does not need to be granted all at once. Eq‑ uity as a reward for years of service and a retention tool can be han‑ dled quite differently than equity for a new investor. The existing owner or owners may want to grant a small percentage to their new partner in the first year, with escalating percentages up to a cer‑ tain ceiling as the years go along. And each grant of additional own‑

ership interest can be dependent on meeting certain sales, profitabil‑ ity, or other milestones. Suppose the whole reason for granting John a 10% ownership stake this year with possible in‑ creases in later years is that you both expect that he will help you build the company from $5 million in revenue to $10 million within two years. Make those assump‑ tions the basis for his receiving, or even for keeping, those ownership percentages. The best way to come up with the structure that makes sense for your business is to write out the reasons why you want to grant ownership to someone new. Is it in exchange for a one‑ time cash infusion? Is it in exchange for continued ef‑ fort that fuels com‑ pany growth? How should that growth be measured? Whatever your companyʼs reasons are for welcoming a new owner to the table, those assump‑ tions or goals should be used to build an agreement with that new owner. Finally, what‑ ever structure you put in place, get it all on paper in either a new partnership agreement, an oper‑ ating agreement (for an LLC), or share‑ holder agreement (for a corpora‑ tion). Include absolutely clear provisions for both voluntary and involuntary exits, and get it signed. Not quite ready to share own‑ ership more broadly? Consider a profit‑sharing arrangement or a creative bonus structure. Particu‑ larly where it is based on factors the employee can influence, such a plan can be a great driver of loyalty and results.

Keep in mind that newly shared ownership does not need to be shared equally, and it does not need to be granted all at once.

Providing outside general counsel services to companies with or without a legal department, Chris Gatewood is an attor‑ Chris Gatewood ney & founder of Threshold Counsel, PC, (www.thresholdcounsel.com)

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Henrico County Bond Rating First in Nation to Retain AAA Announced in August, Henrico Henricoʼs Finance Direc‑ became the first locality in the tor John A. Vithoulkas said the nation to have its debt reaf‑ reaffirmation is a result of the firmed as AAA̶the highest countyʼs anticipated bond rating available for a govern‑ sale, which is expected within mental entity̶by the three two weeks. agencies since the Henrico County AAA is the historic Standard initially received a highest rating and Poorʼs down‑ available for a bond rating of AAA grade of U. S. Gov‑ governmental from both Moodyʼs ernment debt on and Standard and entity. August 5th. Poorʼs in 1977, be‑ The rating is especially coming one of the first coun‑ meaningful in light of the na‑ ties in the nation to receive the tionʼs recent downgrade, noted highest bond rating. In 1998, Henrico County Manager Vir‑ the newest agency̶Fitch̶ gil R. Hazelett, P.E. also awarded the county the “Due to the Board of Su‑ AAA bond rating. Henrico has pervisorsʼ adherence to its maintained these ratings, al‑ long‑established financial lowing the county to obtain guidelines, Henricoʼs fiscal funds for infrastructure im‑ health has remained strong, provements under terms that even in challenging economic have been extremely favorable times,” Hazelett said. for its residents.

Mazda’s Investment in Chesterfield Manufacturing Continues Mazda has opened its new Au‑ tomatic Transmission Remanu‑ facturing Line at its Rotary Engine Remanufacturing fa‑ cility in Chesterfield County. Mazda has invested $2.3 mil‑ lion in this new line. They also added 21 full time jobs in the area. The Rotary Engine Remanu‑ facturing facility originally opened in 2008 and in‑ cludes a power steering pump line, a dealer training center and information call center. Mazda has now invested an ad‑ ditional $2.3 million in the fa‑ cility. They currently employ 41 full time and 29 temporary em‑ ployees at the site. “Mazda is thrilled with its location in Chesterﬁeld County,

it has enabled us to effectively serve our desired distribution area,” said Mazdaʼs Vice Presi‑ dent of Customer Service, Yasuo Kunita. “With the quality work‑ force in Chesterfield, the facil‑ ityʼs central east coast location and the continued sup‑ port and assistance of Chesterfield Eco‑ nomic Development, we have been able to deliver quality service to our cus‑ tomers efficiently and cost‑effectively,” Kunita said. “We look forward to doing the same with our transmission line.” In addition to Chesterfield Economic Development, Mazda will be assisted in their expan‑ sion process by Virginia Jobs Investment Program and the State Enterprise Zone Program.

Capital One to Acquire HSBC Domestic Credit Card Business

Eastlight Renewable Ventures, First Company to Graduate from DRGI The Dominion Resources GreenTech Incubator (DRGI) has announced the graduation of its first incubator tenant, Eastlight Renewable Ventures. Eastlight was founded in late 2009 and joined the incubator in April 2010. Eastlight Renewable Ven‑ tures develops, finances, owns and operates commercial‑scale solar energy projects. They manage all aspects of the proj‑ ect development process in‑ cluding financing, system design, and installation. Eastlight works with For‑ tune 500 companies, educa‑ tional institutions, REITs, municipalities, and sports and entertainment venues. The company leverages its expertise in the use of tax cred‑ its, low‑interest debt financing, monetization of RECs, as well as traditional equity and debt cap‑ ital, to deliver electricity cost savings for their customers and attractive project returns for their investors. Charles Valentine, Part‑

ner at Eastlight Renewable Ven‑ tures, stated that being a tenant of the Dominion Resources GreenTech Incubator was a vital part of the companyʼs success thus far. “What greatly beneﬁtted us at the incubator was the men‑ toring of an advisory board and having an entrepreneur‑in‑resi‑ dence to provide assistance. The energy and utility sector expertise and guidance pro‑ vided by Dominion Resources, Inc., plus the support and con‑ nections that came from being surrounded by other start‑ups in the incubator facility were also critical,” said Valentine. Located in Ashland, DRGI provides its member companies an aﬀordable facility on the I‑95 corridor, assistance with strat‑ egy and business planning, ac‑ cess to expertise within Dominion Resources, expert ad‑ vice from business advisory boards, access to discounted professional services and intro‑ ductions to sources of grant and investment capital.

GOING THE WAY OF THE DINOSAUR? “Isnʼt print dead? I mean with PDFs, social media and the Inter‑ net, is anyone printing anything anymore?” Everybody is so eager to eulogize print, but we may be burying it alive. GRID readers, along with many leaders in marketing, pub‑ lishing, and entertainment seem to be simultaneously wringing their hands, clutching their iPads, and writing wistful blog posts about the pleasures and demise of the printed page. So is print really dead? I think this is the wrong question to ask. Print is alive and well in all its familiar forms. But print is changing, often too quickly for comfort. When it comes to your marketing commu‑ nications, a better question to ask is: “When is print the better choice?” Consider the following: 1. What are you looking at? Does your subject matter really warrant print? Certain photographs look better on the page, sometimes not so much. Think high‑end ap‑ parel and accessories (which al‑ ways makes me think of “Whatʼs Kyra Wearing” in GRID!). Design‑in‑ tensive marketing vehicles like fashion catalogues or even brochures for new cars belong in print. Other subjects naturally lend them‑ selves to an experience away from a screen. Nature and history are two examples̶think travel maga‑ zines. Timeless, in‑depth content almost always works better in print. 2. What do you want to DO with the information? Type, color, cropping, and page lay‑ out are much more controllable in print than in electronic media. Print is also ideal for presentation of information: you control the begin‑ ning, middle, and end, away from

BY PETER LARSEN

the influence of whimsical pointing and clicking. You also control the juxtaposed imagery, eliminating concerns about distractions like on‑ line ads. 3. Whatʼs the social and business impact of the information? Print and electronic media have re‑ versed roles in the last decade. A tangible, printed piece now stands out well against a constant barrage of email, websites, and apps. Because print requires more com‑ plex design choices as well as an in‑ vestment in the equipment to do the printing (plus ink and paper), it is often reserved for high‑profile opportunities. But that does not have to be the case. A key benefit of print is that it forces readers to slow down and absorb the message. In this way, print conveys a commitment to quality that reflects well on your brand. Print and digital are not two su‑ perpowers vying for world domi‑ nation. They simply offer two different avenues to solve a partic‑ ular problem of communication, and both have staying power. In‑ stead of worrying which option is most likely to stand the test of time, ask yourself which media best sup‑ ports your communication goals. The printed page is not dead. Itʼs going to be here for your lifetime and more. I invite you to em‑ brace the content, purpose and impact of your information first. Print can be the absolute best way to convey your information. Itʼs here to stay!

Peter Larsen is with Cobb Technologies and has been in the document management industry for 13 years. Prior to Cobb, he worked for Xerox Cor‑ poration & IKON Oﬃce Solutions. R I C H M O N D

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well,” said Richard D. Fair‑ bank, Chairman and Chief Ex‑ ecutive Oﬃcer of Capital One. “Adding the HSBC card busi‑ ness to our own will enhance our credit card franchise and accelerate our achievement of a leadership position in re‑ tail card partnerships. We are very excited to work with our new retail and co‑branded partners, as well as the HSBC associates who are joining Capital One. Together, we look forward to providing ex‑ ceptional value and service to our new customers.”

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Capital One Financial Corpo‑ ration announced on August 10th a deﬁnitive agreement under which Capital One will acquire HSBCʼs domestic credit card business, including its approximately $30 billion credit card portfolio that in‑ cludes Bank Card portfolio, Co‑Branded Partnership and Private Label Retail Partner‑ ship platforms. “The acquisition of HSBCʼs domestic credit card business is an attractive strategic and ﬁnancial oppor‑ tunity in a business we know

Just Ask Peter

BIZ SAVVY

Local Business Forecast Offers Improvement Over Last Year’s Findings BETWEEN JULY 1, 2010

560 BUSINESS LEADERS WEIGHED IN, SHARED THEIR STORY AND SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT THE REGION ʼS ECONOMIC FUTURE MAY HOLD. AND

usiness First Greater Richmond is the re‑ gional economic de‑ velopment program designed to support the success of busi‑ nesses in the region today. Itʼs a proactive effort seeking to recognize businesses for their commitment to the area, as well as develop a deeper un‑ derstanding of business op‑ portunities and impediments to growth.

MORE THAN

The industries reporting significant employment growth in the coming year include

Manufacturing; Professional Scientific and Technical Services; Healthcare;

Ultimately, Business First is all about connecting businesses to resources quickly in a way that helps them grow and thrive. Through face‑to‑face interviews with business leaders, partners gather information that sup‑ ports strategies to improve the regionʼs business climate, create jobs and encourage new capital investment. The firms that participated in the survey represent almost 20,000 jobs in the region and a wide variety of industries. Small and large employers shared their perspective on fu‑ ture business activity, employ‑ ment forecasts and voiced their opinions on the regionʼs busi‑ ness climate.

JUNE 30, 2011,

BY SARA DUNNIGAN

Sara Dunnigan is Senior Vice President with the Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc.

and

Wholesale Trade. SALES OUTLOOK ROSY This yearʼs respondents had a lot of good things to say about their sales forecasts. Forty‑two percent are anticipating dou‑ ble‑digit sales growth in the coming year. This is a marked improvement over last yearʼs findings when only twenty‑ eight percent were planning for

One in five businesses re‑ ported a challenge in finding the right talent to support their business. This seems counterintuitive in the region with an unusually high unem‑ ployment rate that settled in June at 7.1 percent. Challenges cited are industry specific and range from lack of skilled workers in technical occupa‑ tions to some local shortages in knowledge‑based fields like information technology.

COMPANIES ON THE GROW

that level of year over year in‑ crease in business. WORKFORCE MATTERS The 560 ﬁrms interviewed an‑ ticipate increasing their payrolls and adding 1,464 new jobs. Thatʼs good news for the region and the regional economy that was battered in late 2008 and

Participating companies were asked to rate several business climate factors as excellent, good, fair, or poor. Overall, most factors were scored positively, but room for improvement exists.

early 2009 by a number of busi‑ ness closures and downsizings. The industries reporting signiﬁ‑ cant employment growth in the coming year include Manufac‑ turing; Professional Scientiﬁc and Technical Services; Health‑ care; and Wholesale Trade.

Almost thirty percent of the firms interviewed this year have some plans to expand. Thatʼs up from 22% in the pre‑ vious program year and an en‑ couraging sign. Firms are reporting a need for an addi‑ tional 520,000 square feet on commercial space and planned capital investment of $20 mil‑

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Passenger Rail Service Port of Richmond Port of Virginia Freight Rail Service 0%

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This year, assisted firms created 1,045 new jobs and invested more than $68 million in the region.

SUPPORT SERVICES AND RESULTS Business First Greater Rich‑ mond isnʼt a business survey. Itʼs the start of a conversation happening in Chesterﬁeld,

Hanover, Henrico and the City of Richmond about how we can build a stronger regional econ‑ omy. That strength is measured by the success of the businesses supported by the program. Pro‑ gram partners include a multi‑

disciplinary team with resources specific to each firmʼs unique need. This year, assisted firms created 1,045 new jobs and in‑ vested more than $68 million in the region. The effort also helped to save 170 jobs.

Utility Service Factors

100%

If your business would like to learn more about how it could benefit from a consultation with a Business First representative, go to the program website at www.businessfirstrichmond.com and request a visit. There, you can access for more information, as well as an infographic that highlights key findings from in‑ terviews conducted between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011.

Excellent

Phone, Internet and Broadband availability

Natural Gas

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Electricity

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Quality of Place Factors

Fair

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Cultural/Recreational Amenities Housing K-12 education Technical Training Colleges/Universities 0%

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You can request a visit and learn more about the resources available at businessﬁrstrichmond.com

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Scan the QR code to visit the site.

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lion. Area Business First partners are working hard to support these firms, pro‑ viding the appropriate re‑ sources and support to help those companies grow right here in our community.

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Richmond Int. Airport

BY SAM KIRBY

race yourself, Carytown, things are getting even more stylish in the neighborhood these days. Both Clementine (3118 West Cary Street) and Clover (3105 West Cary Street), swanky consign‑ ment shops located along every‑ oneʼs favorite boutique‑lined street, have been pulling out all the stops of late. The hip factor at the con‑ signment stores is a direct re‑ sult of the clever owners, Jane Crooks, Lesley Glotzl, and Lyn Page. With brands like Anthro‑ pologie, Diane von Furstenberg, and Tory Burch, Clementine is making sure RVA is well dressed at a bargain price. “Weʼre constantly looking at new ways to run our businesses and support the community,” explains Lyn Page, who pur‑ chased Clementine only a hand‑ ful of years ago. “Clementine continues to thrive̶thanks to loyal cus‑ tomers and the best consignors in Metro Richmond̶so much so that weʼre starting an expan‑ sion that should be completed by the end of the year.” Page says that her team is also look‑ ing into e‑commerce as a means to sell more high‑end items for their consignors. Fans are in‑ vited to watch the progress of the store in these endeavors as the owners blog about their progress at www.sweetclemen‑ tine.com, and provide regular updates on Facebook. Across the street, at Clover, an upscale childrenʼs consign‑ ment shop launched in 2010, Page says that things are equally busy̶and playful. “Clover has taken oﬀ quickly and has been embraced by the community too.” With a colorful, lucky dragon hanging from the ceiling, and Pez dispensers glued to the walls, Richmonders can score brands like Baby Lulu, Crew Cuts, Hanna Andersson,

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Where previously, small‑business retailers would develop their customer relations through brick‑ and‑mortar stores and use their websites for promotions; at Clementine, eﬀorts are made to create personalized shopping for local consumers as well as connect online with clientele in the so‑ cial media community.

Lacoste, Mini Boden, Oilily, Silly Goose, Tea, and Zutano. As for local consignors, Page points out that she wants to help Richmonders make money by recycling the clothes they donʼt wear. At Clover, for example, all ages are invited to join in the fun. “Older kids are encouraged to set up their own accounts. You should see their faces when they learn they can make money from their out‑ grown clothes.” In addition to the opportunity to buy and sell quality clothing, the shop oﬀers

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a calendar of fun, family events and boasts a television with kidʼs movies for the little ones as parents shop. Since Clover and Clemen‑ tine remain small, the owners say that they have to be very se‑ lective with the items they ac‑ cept. “Our customers like that because they know our racks are well edited,” explains Page while pointing out that at Clover every price tag is hand‑written (no impersonal bar codes here). Itʼs this attention to detail and ability to constantly listen to

their customers that has kept both trend‑setting shops boom‑ ing. “I wish I could say itʼs easy and fun, but anyone who has built a business from the ground up knows that it takes lots of hard work, patience and deter‑ mination to get a business off the ground,” says Page. With two successfully run‑ ning̶and growing̶consign‑ ment shops, the owners of Clementine and Clover are showing off just how much in‑ novation, tenacity, and style Richmond has to offer.

PHOTOS: CLEMENTINE INTERIOR BY CASEY TEMPLETON | STOREFRONT BY JANE CROOKS | CLOVER BIKE PHOTO BY JEFF GLOTZL

INNOVATORS

Clementine & Clover: Creating Online & Local Clientele

A Banner Idea: Graphic Artists Show RVA Some Love 9 DESIGNERS + 50 IMAGES + 11 PARTNERS = A DISPLAY OF 150 BANNERS DOWNTOWN to showcase “your love of RVA or what creativity in Richmond means to you,” the contest cited three top awards along with seven finalists for a total of ten banners that are pro‑

duced and displayed through‑ out the city. In addition to the nine de‑ signers, RVA Creates partners for this project were: The Martin Agency, VCU Brandcenter, West

Cary Group, J H I, Elevation, The Hodges Partnership, Venture Richmond, RVANews, RVA Mag‑ azine, the Richmond Ad Club and the City of Richmond. See more banners

RVA Creates

SECOND PLACE

Rachel Kim Kristina Bourlotos

“

If you think of Downtown, words that pop into your mind would be festivals, events, food/restaurants, different ethnicity, shopping, etc. I tried to find a way to design the banner, without showing specifically what RVA offers. So I took an abstract approach. I wanted to communicate using colors. My banner shows the vibrancy and excitement that occurs in Downtown Richmond by using abstracted shapes with bold colors. Just by looking at the banner, it really makes you excited!

I still get giddy every time I see the banners, and secretly have been wanting one for my home!

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FIRST PLACE

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prime example of liv‑ ing your brand, RVA Creates took to the streets and launched a design competition for new street‑ pole banners. Asking entrants

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For my banner, I ran with the idea of the upcoming season of summer and how hot it gets in Richmond. So, I took the outline of the city and placed a nice bright sun behind it. I wanted the RVA letters to allude to water with the reference of the James River in mind.

Patti Jeﬀries Doug Malott Keith Ramsey

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“

Our design was based on the excitement of ʻpaint the town redʼ to show the new energy and revitalization going on in Downtown Richmond. This was an exciting [project] that shows how diverse Richmond is and how much there is to see and do. Itʼs great to see them hanging up all over Downtown.

Matthew Pirro

THIRD PLACE

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Keith Ramsey

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The banners I designed were inspired by the classic imagery from the period of Edgar Allen Poeʼs literary creativity as well as the multitude of talents that embody dance, music, culture, visual and culinary arts̶ all of which can be found in abundance in Richmond.

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Downtown Richmond makes me think about great night life. I wanted to make a banner that was fun and bubbly like popping open a bottle of champagne. It was a lot of fun to make and Iʼm thrilled it was chosen to be displayed!

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David Odden

Angela Melito

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Richmond is an immensely creative community, and I wanted my banner design to reﬂect that idea. The photo I used was taken at Gallery 5ʼs “Dia de los Muertos” celebration.

The concept behind this banner was ﬁnding a way to make people feel connected to one another through the City of Richmond. I did this by showing the skyline (a universal image of Downtown) so that, when you see it, you remember why you are attracted to this place.

Cash for Your Homework: When â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Phoning Inâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Your Productivity is a Good Thing P ROMOTING THE POSITIVES OF TELECOMMUTING , THE D EPARTMENT OF R AIL AND P UBLIC T RANS â&#x20AC;&#x2018; PORTATION IS SPONSORING A T ELEWORK â&#x20AC;&#x2018;VA P ROGRAM DESIGNED TO REDUCE TRAFFIC AND THE USE OF FUEL FOR COMMUTERS . BY CAROLINE ROBEY

state funded program, it serves Richmond, D.C., and Virginia Beach areas. The program proâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; vides a company with up to $35,000 in grant money to give employees the opportuâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; nity to work from home or telecommute. The money asâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; sists in the costs of setting up a telework program, helping reduce the pressure on the business to do it on their own. The definition of telework

Research has shown that with employees telecommuting to work, turnover has been reduced by 20%, absenteeism is down by 60%, and productivity has increased by 22%. provided by the website is as follows: â&#x20AC;&#x153;a work arrangement

ÂĄ ÂĄ Â˘ Ç&#x2039; #Ç? -0 .1 Â˝ Â&#x; -1Ç&#x2020; $0 -0Ç? Â˝ Â 0- >- Ç?0 1 Â˝ Â˘ Ç&#x2039; #Ç? -0 .1 Â˝ Â&#x; -1Ç&#x2020; $0 -0Ç? Â˝ Â 0- >- Ç?0 1 Â˝

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where managers/supervisors permit employees to perform their usual job duties away from their central workplace, in accordance with their same performâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; ance expectations and other agreedâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;upon terms.â&#x20AC;? This gives employees the option of working either from home or from a satellite office that the program will help create. A company is eligible for grant money if the company has a minimum of 20 employees, and must be a private profit business or a nonâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;profit business listed under Secâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; tion 501(c) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To receive the money, they must submit an application and comâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; mit to the 24â&#x20AC;&#x2018;month stratâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; egy,â&#x20AC;? explains Mike Gray who is with Sklar Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; nology Partners an inforâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; mation technology and communications firm loâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; cated in Mechanicsville. This simply entails that ten or more employâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; ees will be telecommuting

1.5 days of the week, or 6 days a month, within two years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have helped more than 25 local businesses get grant money,â&#x20AC;? says Gray. Research has shown that with employees telecomâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; muting to work, turnover has been reduced by 20%, absenâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; teeism is down by 60%, and productivity has increased by 22%. Working from a homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; based office can improve relaâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; tionships, increase efficiency and save employees money on fuel and commuter costs. The money granted to the compaâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; nies is used on a reimburseâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; ment system, with the maximum financial grants not exceeding $35,000. The breakdown of prices and reimbursement rates can be found, along with additional information about the proâ&#x20AC;&#x2018; gram, at www.teleworkva.org.

ACTiVE RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 4 • SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2011 • #4

Maymont X-Country Festival I , NCLUDING BOBCATS BALD EAGLES AND BEARS, THIS FESTIVAL IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE RUNNING EVENTS IN AMERICA

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

ACTiVE RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 4 • SEP | OCT 2011 • #4

JUMPSTART ............................................................................ 28 Heart of Virginia Century Ride; Capitol 10‑Miler; and the Virginia Transplant Games

BODYSMART ............................................................................29 Fitness for the Frequent and Frantic Flyer; Quick Tips: Thinking about joining one of the training teams for the 8k, 10‑miler half‑marathon or marathon teams? Here are a couple of things to keep in mind to prevent injuries; Zumba In Da Club: Personal trainer Tracey Brooks continues her mission to bring the fun of Zumba to as many people as possible.

With a Little Help, Anyone Can Run an 8k................................31 Because the training teams for the 10k, half‑marathon and full‑marathon have been so successful and beneﬁcial for participants, Sports Backers has created a new training team for the 8k.

Maymont X‑Country Festival ..................................................32 With course routes that include gardens, lakes and an aviary̶as well as exhibits of bison, bears and whitetail deer̶this event is unlike any other.

Exploring Scenic Fall Trails ......................................................36 From Powhatan to Goochland and everywhere in between, the Greater Richmond area has some of the most colorful scenery, especially during

the ﬂurry of changing leaves in the fall. ACTiVE explores just a few of the beautiful trails that you can experience during your autumn workouts.

Family Celebrates Milestones with SunTrust Richmond Marathon ........................................40

For the last 40 marathons, 23 of them being the SunTrust Richmond Marathon, Dee Dee Draper has watched her husband, Bill, cross the ﬁnish line with an enormous smile and a huge sense of accomplishment.

Local Women Lead the Way in Healthcare ..............................42 There are many facets to the wellness industry, ACTiVE highlights two entrepreneurs leading the way in healthcare locally and beyond.

Care Corner News ....................................................................44 With Facebook pages now available for Care Advantage, Nurse Advantage and All About Care, you can get connected with other healthcare profession‑ als; Care Advantage, Inc. Opens a New Location in Goochland; Care Advan‑ tage Client Appreciation Party With the Richmond Flying Squirrels

YWCA Issues & Resources: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month ....................48 As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, October at the YWCA is dedicated to awareness of domestic violence, celebrating survival stories and uniting those working to end violence.

48 A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

J U M P S T A R T

A C T i V E SEPT|OCT 2011

Heart of Virginia Century Ride Just north of Richmond in beautiful, historic Hanover County, the Heart of Virginia Century Ride and Bike Festival oﬀers something for every rider: a 30‑mile Family Ride; a 35‑mile Short Ride; a 35‑ mile Historic Ride; a Metric Century; a Metric Cen‑ tury Plus; as well as a challenging, 100‑mile English Century course with enough hills to give you a real workout! Bikers will have the chance to cycle along the paths of Patrick Henry, Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant as they enjoy

Capitol 10‑Miler

the countyʼs rolling

The Richmond Road Runners Club presents the Capitol 10‑ Miler on October 1, which is run on the streets of Richmond. The course is a single loop through Richmond that starts and ends at the State Capitol (9th and Grace Streets). The course goes west on Grace Street, running through Byrd Park and passes Hollywood cemetery. The course continues through Oregon Hill with a great view of the James River and then up Second Street to Franklin Street ﬁnishing on Bank Street at the foot of the Capitol. The race will also feature two other runs: the Special Olympics Virginia Mile and the Kids Mile.

countryside. And to make sure you stay fu‑ eled, there are rest stops along the way and even a lunch w i t h barbecue

and

hand‑

dipped ice cream waiting at the ﬁnish line. That should give anyone incentive. The festival takes place on September 17 and 18, so sign up with family and friends and choose the ride that works best for you. Detailed cue sheets and well‑marked courses will keep you headed in the right direction as you follow some of the most scenic roads in historic Hanover County. And best of all, the ride will beneﬁt the Hanover Habitat for Humanity.

For more information go to www.heartofvabikefestival.org

Virginia Transplant Games On Saturday, October 1, Virginia will be the ﬁrst state nationally to have a statewide transplant games. Donate Life Vir‑ ginia is organizing the event to raise awareness and increase the number of Virginians that are in the donor registry by showing that donation and transplantation saves lives. Organ, eye, tissue and bone marrow transplant recipients and living donors from all

over the United States are invited to compete in the ﬁrst ever Virginia Transplant Games. The Virginia Transplant Games are open to organ, eye, tissue, and bone marrow transplant recipients as well as liv‑ ing donors. The 5K walk/run is the only event that is open to in‑ dividuals who are not transplant recipients or living donors.

Events will include: • 3‑on‑3 basketball • 50m, 100m, 200m, and 400m dash • Softball throw • Discus • Shot‑put • 5K walk/run • Bowling • Swimming • Table Tennis

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

SPECIAL OLYMPICS VIRGINIA MILE Special Olympics athletes can participate in a free 1‑mile race. All participants will re‑ ceive a t‑shirt and medal. Awards will be presented to top male and female adult and young adult (under 18) athletes. This race is limited to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. KIDS MILE Run in 3 waves, the Kids 1‑ mile race will be run on a USATF certiﬁed course. Regis‑ tration required. Adults may run with children. All regis‑ trants will receive a t‑shirt. Awards to the top male and female in each age group. Limited to 1200 participants.

Registration details can be found at www.rrrc.org

The Virginia Transplant Games are open to organ, eye, tissue, and bone marrow transplant recipients as well as living donors.

B O D Y S M A R T FITNESS FOR THE FREQUENT AND FRANTIC FLYER If you are like me, perhaps you are plotting that perfect autumn getaway to an exotic locale for some sun, fun and relaxation. But before you board that 747, make sure you chart your course to the following coordinates: well‑rested, well hydrated, sati‑ ated, and remain active while cruising above the earth. These are the hallmarks to ensuring that you have a smooth and en‑ joyable flight. The National Sleep Founda‑ tion affirms that one should use earplugs and blindfolds to dampen noise and block light while sleeping. Quality sleep can be difficult to garner while flying as inevitably there will be a child screaming or a passenger talking incessantly. However, adequate sleep is critical to good health. Restora‑ tion of body systems, in particu‑ lar the immune system, occurs during sleep, as do the growth and repair of tissues and cells. Depending on where you fly, it is most prudent to stay well hydrated before and during your flight. Considering half of oneʼs body weight and drinking that amount in ounces is a simple way to gauge how much to drink. Keeping in mind that the cabin air can be dry̶which may cause you to feel thirsty̶bring a water bottle with you on board. Another good option is seltzer water (often called club soda). Many airlines will give you a lemon/lime wedge to garnish your carbonated water̶no calories and very quenching. Itʼs best to avoid excessive sugary juices and caffeinated sodas and to be mindful of alco‑ holic libations. Lest you forget, you will be sent packing if deemed too intoxicated to fly. While some passengers choose to “take the edge off” prior to leaving, many have been de‑ planed due to a day of revelry beforehand. Caffeine can cause you to become restless. Alcohol can be very dehydrating which

will in turn lead to restlessness. If you absolutely feel com‑ pelled to drink while on board, keep in mind that women should have no more than 1 drink per day and men should consume no more than two drinks per day while in the air or on the ground. Refrain from bloating your‑ self prior to your flight. Satiety is a feeling of fullness which is what we should all strive for. We were once taught to consume three square meals per day̶that gig is up! We should all consume five to six small meals per day and when flying donʼt rely on airline food. Plan ahead and bring some healthy snacks. Easy items to bring include: instant oatmeal (just ask the flight attendant for hot water), string cheese and pre‑packed bags of almonds will add some protein to the mix. Avoid the pricey airline boxed lunches and prepare a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread along with some baked chips and a piece of fruit. If globe‑trot‑ ting takes you across the pond, you may succumb to despera‑ tion due to the long nature of the flight, but at the very least have a fallback plan if left with rubbery chicken and dried‑out pasta. Come on, we know that you peruse that in‑flight brochure in your seatback pocket if and only if you find yourself in the exit row. . . In all actuality you should open up that tri‑fold as it con‑ tains some tips on how to stave off deep vein thrombosis also known as DVTs̶blood clots that can form in the legs during long periods of inactivity. This condi‑ tion is also referred to as “econ‑ omy class syndrome.” The notion of stuffing people into a confined area without much space to move about is not ex‑ clusive to airlines as soldiers in the military are also affected by close quarters when in tanks for example. Aside from less‑than‑ ample foot space, passengers can follow the exercise demon‑

BY STEPHEN P. SOWULEWSKI, M.A

Stephen P. Sowulewski, M.A. is an Associate Professor and Department Chair of Health & Physical Education at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and an American Council on Exercise (ACE) group exercise certified instructor at American Family Fitness teaching indoor cycling.

strations on the TV monitors and can engage in the exercises listed in the seatback pockets as a means of burning some calories and thwarting the sedentary ex‑ istence while in ﬂight. We often feel resigned to eating, sleeping, watching movies, or listening to music. Walk about the cabin as much as possible (without an‑ noying the ﬂight attendants) and you will help to harness good circulation throughout the lower extremities.

JetBlue Airways has soared to new heights by partnering with International ﬁtness giant Crunch Fitness to develop an “Airplane Yoga” program designed to bring ﬁtness and inner peace to the friendly skies. The cards illustrate four yoga poses all of which are designed to be used while the passenger remains seated. Thus, one can be active while hovering in the clouds perhaps even more so than some who vegetate at home on their sofas. A

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

B O D Y S M A R T QUICK TIPS

BY TERESA STADLER, MD, FACSM

Thinking about joining one of the training teams for the 8k, 10‑miler half‑marathon or marathon teams? Here are a couple of things to keep in mind to prevent injuries:

leg strength was increased by an average of 30%. And the study showed certain types of en‑ durance performance can be im‑ proved by strength‑training supplementation.

Engage in regular strength training. Working out two sets of every major muscle group twice a week is the single most important thing you can do to prevent stress fractures. The beneﬁts of strength training for runners has been well‑docu‑ mented. In one study, heavy resistance training to increase leg‑muscle strength was studied in eight cycling‑ and running‑ trained athletes. Strength train‑ ing was performed 3 days a week for 10 weeks, along with en‑ durance training. After 10 weeks,

Stretch after warming up or after running, NOT BEFORE RUNNING. This will prevent soft tissue injuries. When stretching, avoid quick movements or bouncing. Never force a move‑ ment or position. Hold each stretch for approximately 10 to 20 seconds and then repeat that same stretch several times. A Teresa Stadler, MD FACSM is mom of 3 little runners; marathoner; Ironman Finisher; and Medical Director of Commonwealth Sports Medicine (CSM). For more info on injury prevention check out CSM on Facebook.

Zumba In Da Club Fitness instructor and personal trainer Tracey Brooks contin‑ ues her mission to bring the fun of Zumba (which is pro‑ nounced zoom‑ bah) to as many people as possible. She has been teach‑ ing classes all over Richmond, but is now bringing the ﬁtness dance craze downtown. Zumba Fitness is a cardio interval class that in‑ corporates fast and slow rhythms with resistance train‑ ing to sculpt and tone. Partic‑ ipants can burn anywhere from 400 to 800 calories in a one‑hour class. The atmosphere at a Zumba class is nothing short of a party. So it makes sense that classes are now available

at The Hat Factory located at 140 Virginia Street. In my Zumba in Da Club class, says Brooks, I ﬁnd fun ways to include a squat, lunge and even some kickboxing moves to make the most out of burning calories. Every Wednesday starting at 6:30 p.m., the hottest workout around takes advantage of the club atmosphere and sound system to make this class the ultimate exercise experience. The classes are just $8 (or $6 w/college ID) and they will continue until the end of Sep‑ tember. Zumba is a great way for participants to relieve stress by letting their inhibi‑ tions go and just have fun feel‑ ing the energy from the music, Brooks adds. A

STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE YMCA OF GREATER RICHMOND www.ymcarichmond.org

Join the Y and become a member of a community that’s committed every day to helping you and your family learn, grow and thrive. Visit our website to learn about membership features, calculate your rate and join. Financial assistance is available.

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

With a Little Help, Anyone Can Run an 8k AS SPORTING EVENTS EVOLVE AND CHANGE, SO DO THE TRAINING AND SUPPORT NEEDS. BECAUSE THE TRAINING TEAMS FOR THE 10K, HALF‑MARATHON AND FULL‑ MARATHON HAVE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL AND BENEFICIAL FOR PARTICIPANTS, THE SPORTS BACKERS HAVE CREATED A NEW TRAINING TEAM FOR THE 8K.

his newly designed 8k training program has been specially cre‑ ated to train walkers and entry‑ level runners for the HCA Virginia 8k that takes place on November 12 as a compan‑ ion race of the ever‑popular SunTrust Rich‑ mond Marathon. The training follows an 8‑week sched‑ ule that begins on September 17 at 7:30 a.m. and will provide you with a day‑by‑day

approach to ensure that you do your best in the 8k. And to make it even more con‑ venient, there are 5 different locations around the city for the Saturday morning group runs̶Johnston Willis Hospital, John Rolfe Martinʼs, Retreat Doctorsʼ Hos‑ pital, Woodlake United Methodist Church‑ Hampton Park Campus, and Cool Spring Baptist Church. During the week, you will get your own

written training schedule that will prepare you gradually so that you can complete the 4.97 miles on November 12 safely. In addi‑ tion, youʼll receive guidance from coaches, a special 8k Training Team shirt, entry into the 2011 HCA Virginia 8k, and clinics on how to prepare for race day. So now is your chance. Sign up for the training team and prove to yourself that you can do it! Visit www.SportsBackers.org. A

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

MAYMONT X-COUNTRY FESTIVAL

Since 2003, the beautiful grounds of Maymont have provided the backdrop for the Maymont X-Country Festival. This year the event takes place on September 23 and 24, and continues to be celebrated as one of the premier running festivals in the country. With course routes that include gardens, lakes and an aviary—as well as exhibits of bison, bears and whitetail deer—this event is unlike any other.

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

A C T i V E RVA始S RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

THE COURSE T he 5k course starts near the 12,000 square‑foot, 33‑room Maymont Man‑ sion which was built in 1893. The course then takes runners past large oak and magnolia trees. You might also see the seasonal ﬂowers in bloom. Look for robust Osman‑ thus, Hibiscus, Rose of Sharon, Abelia, Rose, Annuals, and Perenni‑ als as you continue exploring the carefully manicured landscape. Naturally, youʼll get to see Maymont's Wildlife Exhibits that are scattered throughout the 40‑ acre valley between the historical estate, Children's Farm and Nature

THE COACH T he highest honor I can think of is to be called ʻCoach,ʼ” says Jim Hol‑ dren. Thatʼs a good thing be‑ cause heʼs been called one for over for 48 years. His coaching career started at the College of William and Mary while he was still on the cross‑country team. In 1988, Jim Holdren won the NHSACA girls track coach of the year award, and he won the NHSACA girls cross‑country coach of the year award in 2006. Heʼs also the only Virginia coach to win the national coach

of the year award in two sports. He has compiled 1,227 wins in high school running, including an 80 per‑ cent winning percentage in dual meets with a 16‑year undefeated streak in girls outdoor track. He has coached 10 national record holders, 51 All‑Americans, and 115 state champions. In 1992, he was inducted into the Virginia High School Hall of Fame, and he was in‑ ducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Associ‑ ation Hall of Fame on June 28,

Center. All exhibits feature native Virginia wildlife in their natural habitats, including black bears, bison, white‑tailed deer, gray fox, bobcats, bald eagles, owls, and other birds of prey. Then head back to the historic mansion to the ﬁnish line. Along with the 5k and 8‑Miler divisions for participants of all ages and shorter distance events for elementary and middle school kids, the event also features high school teams. There will be thou‑ sands of competitors, a live an‑ nouncer, food vendors and a professional event setup. A

2006 in Bran‑ son, Mo. Hol‑ dren was one of only two coaches in the Richmond area to receive the honor. Despite the impressive sta‑ tistics, he believes that the real impact of good coaching is seen oﬀ the ﬁeld. “We are in the busi‑ ness of molding lives,” he says. “Sports are the medium for doing that. Most of my athletes donʼt compete past college, so sports become training for life.” In 2007 and again in 2010, he was named Girls' Track and

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

Field Coach of the Year by the National Association of High School Coaches. Currently, Hol‑ dren is the co‑athletic director and head coach of cross coun‑ try, indoor track, and outdoor track at the Maggie L. Walker Governorʼs School. Holdrenʼs work with athletes at all levels has taught him that “Nobody gets there alone.” So be on the lookout for Jim at the Maymont X‑Country Festival. Heʼll no doubt be coaching with an eye on the winnerʼs circle. Itʼs a place his team knows well. A

Exploring Scenic Fall Trails FROM POWHATAN TO GOOCHLAND AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN, THE GREATER RICHMOND AREA HAS SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SCENERY, ESPECIALLY DURING THE FLURRY OF CHANGING LEAVES IN THE FALL. WEʼVE HIGHLIGHTED JUST A FEW OF THE COLORFUL TRAILS THAT YOU CAN EXPLORE DURING YOUR AUTUMN WORKOUTS. WHILE YOUʼRE RUNNING, BIKING, OR EVEN JUST WALKING THE TRAILS, MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE IN THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY THAT SURROUNDS US.

he James River Park System in‑ cludes over 550 acres of shore‑ line and islands, extending in 14 sections from the Huguenot Bridge in the west to a half mile beyond the I‑95 Bridge in the east. It includes most of the fall line of the James River. Rocks, rapids, meadows, and forests make for an area of unspoiled natural beauty. Belle Isle and Brownʼs Island are located right in the heart of Richmond and are accessible

by a suspended pedestrian and bicycle walkway that spans the James River. Youʼll find plenty of nature walks, open fields, dense woods, and views of the Hol‑ lywood Rapids. There is a nice trail loop and plenty of offshoots where you can explore the dense woods while stealing glimpses of the raging James River. Over in the West End, Deep Run Park is a popular fall meeting spot for families, dog walkers, and athletes. A

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

paved trail circles the pond, and there are approximately 1.7 trails through the woods. Beginning bikers will find the trails easy to navigate and a good primer for other more challenging courses. South of Richmond International Air‑ port is Dorey Park where you can take a power walk around the pond, or a jog into the woods using the loop of the ex‑ ercise trail. Youʼll get a great view of the fall leaves and you can string together a

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SPORTS BACKERS

A C T i V E RVA始S RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

couple of miles on the wide gravel paths. Then build on your hike by using the moun‑ tain‑bike single‑track, which connects to the hiking trail in the southern reaches of the park, near the disc‑golf course, and extends northward past the ball fields.

FOREST HILL PARK Forest Hill Park has long been a favorite for athletes who love to run and ride the trails. With the improvements made by the City of Richmond Parks and Recreation Department, the Friends of the Park, the Com‑ munity and various volunteer groups, this fall the Forest Hill trails are the place to be. “We now have a trail system that

can be used by everyone,” said Nathan Burrell, the trails man‑ ager for the city. “The trails are now functioning for a large swath of the athletic community.”

POCAHONTAS STATE PARK Pocahontas State Park is a pre‑ miere season‑changing desti‑ nation for walkers, runners, and bikers because of the well‑ maintained trails that cross bridges and provide peaceful views. Use the immediate trail around the lake to get your bearings and then explore the tons of trails and fire roads that snake throughout the park. “My husband and I like to run and mountain bike in Poc‑ ahontas State Park,” says sports enthusiast Kerry. “It has

Burrell: “We now have a trail system that can be used by everyone.”

great trails and is really beau‑ tiful in the fall when the leaves are changing.” Eileen also loves the trails

Pocahontas State Park Trails

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

at Pocahontas. “The Lakeview Trail there is my favorite. It is more isolated and not the main one used by most runners. Itʼs

President Monroe's grave, you get a great view of the river and you can see the city chang‑ ing colors.”

HANOVER COUNTY Bud Vye is a proponent of chal‑ lenging bike rides throughout the rolling fields of Hanover County. With a map or a cue sheet, he creates personalized routes that range from 20 to 100 miles in length. Popular starting points are the Hanover Courthouse, historic Ashland, the Montpelier Arts Center and Cold Harbor Battlefield Park.

Youʼre likely to see trees like sycamore, pine, sweetgum, tulip tree, and oaks as you jog or hike the nearby trails of Robious Landing Park.

single‑track and mostly for ex‑ pert mountain bikers, though I rarely see anyone there when I run, so I get the beautiful place

all to myself! It is incredibly serene and the nature so mag‑ nificent and beautiful, it moves my soul to be immersed in the glorious woods. A gem for Rich‑ mond runners!”

ROBIOUS LANDING PARK A popular place for athletes in Chesterfield is Robious Landing Park. This park lies along the south bank of the James River complete with hardwood forest and nestled near a quiet subur‑ ban neighborhood. Youʼre likely to see trees like sycamore, pine, sweetgum, tulip tree, and oaks as you jog or hike the nearby trails. Lori is a resident of the area and she has created her own workout course. “My favorite Fall workout is right around the corner from my house! I bike out Ro‑ bious Rd and Huguenot Trail to Manakintown Ferry Road. This is a nice long side road with little vehicular traffic that connects Robious and Mid‑ lothian. There is a very steep hill at the end. This road is great for working on your aero‑riding skills on a time trial bike. Especially memo‑ rable is a solo ride I did out there last Thanksgiving day. The air was so crisp and scented with the smells of burning leaves, wood fires and all those wonderful dinners cooking!”

HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY Caitlin is a runner who has found a truly unique workout

spot. “I think one of the best places to run in the fall is Hol‑ lywood Cemetery. Although some may think running in a cemetery is creepy I find it peaceful and it's not as crowded̶well, with living peo‑ ple that is. Also, because of the rolling landscape itʼs a great hill workout! If you run up by

These are just a few ideas for some very scenic backdrops in the Richmond area that you can explore in the fall months. Whether you ride, run, or even walk your way to fitness, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery while youʼre doing it. Maybe youʼll discover some secret places of your own. A

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Family Celebrates Milestones with SunTrust Richmond Marathon FOR THE LAST 40 MARATHONS, 23 OF THEM BEING THE SUNTRUST RICHMOND MARATHON, DEE DEE DRAPER HAS WATCHED HER HUSBAND, BILL, CROSS THE FINISH LINE WITH AN ENORMOUS SMILE AND A HUGE SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. J.C. P BY

he has been watching me and following me around courses for thirty‑some years now,” said Bill. This year, in celebration of some major milestones̶the coupleʼs 60th birthdays and 40th wed‑ ding anniversary̶Dee Dee has decided to take the plunge and join her husband on the inside of the finish line barri‑ ers that will engulf the down‑ town Shockoe Slip area on November 12th. When the Draperʼs children heard the news of their motherʼs goal to complete her ﬁrst SunTrust Richmond Marathon, they immediately came up with a plan to join in the celebration. “We decided to honor our parents by training and ulti‑ mately running right alongside them this November,” said 38‑ year‑old Shannon Grymes, the eldest of the three daughters. “Mom has been cheering Dad on for years. She has been exposed to running her whole life, just like we have. If she can build up the courage to do a full marathon, so can we!” Training for the family is in full force. Bill, Dee Dee, Shan‑ non, and the youngest daughter, Bridget Draper, all joined the Sports Backers Marathon Train‑ ing Team. The middle Draper child, Erin Reid, will be forced to be the cheerleader this year while she prepares for the ar‑ rival of the Draperʼs fourth grandchild. Erinʼs husband, Jonathan, plans to run in her

OMA

be priceless memories down the road.” Bill is not shy about being a proud husband, father, and soon‑to‑be grandfather. But in a year when he has so much to be thankful for in his life, his kids and wife have provided him with another lasting mem‑ ory by joining him on the streets of Richmond.

“I feel like I have gotten to know my parents so much better just because of the things we talk about when we run. I have learned so many new and interesting things that are going to be priceless memories down the road.” place. He does a variety of other cross training ﬁtness programs to stay in shape. Although the Draper family has diﬀering schedules, it does not keep them from trying to run together a few times a week. “It is a way to spend time

together that at the same time is fun for everyone,” said Shannon. “I feel like I have gotten to know my parents so much better just because of the things we talk about when we run. I have learned so many new and inter‑ esting things that are going to

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

Scan for more SunTrust Richmond Marathon details.

For Dee Dee, it is about finally running right along‑ side her devoted husband of 40 years. For the children, it is about honoring the two people who have guided them every day of their lives. And on November 12th, at the ﬁnish line of the SunTrust Richmond Marathon, the Draper family will ﬁnish in cele‑ bration of the milestones Bill and Dee Dee are sharing to‑ gether this year. If you would like to join the Draper family in what Runnerʼs World has deemed “Americaʼs Friendliest Marathon,” visit www.richmondmarathon.org and register for what is sure to be a memory like no other. A

Left to right: Jonathan Reid, Dee Dee Draper, Bill Draper, Shannon Grymes, and Bridget Draper.

A C T i V E RVA始S RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

ome healthcare is becoming a more popular option among older people who need help, but are not yet ready for a nursing home. This trend is expected to increase as life expectancies grow and the U.S. population continues to age. Also, home care is popular with younger adults and athletes who are dis‑ abled or recuperating from an accident or illness, and even children who need med‑ ical treatment that can be administered in the home. Deborah Johnston recognized this trend early in her nursing career and has par‑ layed the desire to help others into one of the largest and fastest growing home health companies in the country. She is the owner of Care Advantage, Nurse Advan‑ tage, and All About Care. Founded in 1988 with one lo‑ cation, Care Ad‑ vantage has grown at a tremendous rate in an eﬀort to keep up with the demand for qual‑ ity home care.

Local Women Lead the Way in Healthcare

Johnston [left] employs over 800 healthcare professionals.

RECENTLY,

THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE HAS HAD MORE TWISTS AND TURNS THAN A KINGS DOMINION ROLLER COASTER, BUT THANKS TO A DIVERSE ECONOMY, THE RICH‑ MOND AREA HAS BEEN ABLE TO MINIMIZE THE FLUCTUA‑ TIONS. WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES THAT SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY. ONE SECTOR THAT HAS CONTINUED TO FLOURISH, DESPITE HARD TIMES, IS HEALTHCARE [ SEE BUSINESS FIRST PAGE 18 ]. THERE ARE MANY FACETS TO THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY, BUT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TWO ENTREPRENEURS LEADING THE WAY IN HEALTHCARE LOCALLY AND BEYOND. AND BOTH OF THESE CEOS JUST HAPPEN TO BE WOMEN. BY DAVE SMITHERMAN 42

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

In 2010, Care Ad‑ vantage, Inc. saw a 34% increase in annual sales by Johnston growing business and opening two new locations. Today, the company has 15 branches across the state of Virginia and is currently experiencing 18% growth in sales with a goal of 25% by the end of 2011. “The growth of my busi‑ ness is the sign of the times,” says John‑ ston. “We have a large population of Baby Boomers and an increased number of early discharges from hospitals.” In the Greater Richmond and Tri‑Cities areas, they employ over 800 companions, nursing assistants, RNs, LPNs and thera‑ pists. “I wanted to run a company in Rich‑ mond because it is the place where I grew up as well as went to nursing school,” says Johnston. “It is a way for me to help the place where I am from.” In addition to employing hundreds of Rich‑ monders and contributing to the local economy, Deborah Johnston and her com‑ pany is well‑known for philanthropic en‑ deavors. “I love my town, and thatʼs why I support charities like Christmas Mother, Special Olympics, and Big Brother/Big Sis‑ ter, just to name a few,” says Johnston. “As the owner, I never forget that we are in the business of caring, and giving back to the

Mallory with HDL Inc. Chief Medical Oﬃcer and co‑founder Joseph P. McConnell, Ph.D.

community is something weʼve always done.” Another aspect of healthcare that is often overlooked is re‑ search and scientiﬁc advance‑ ment that helps modern medicine evolve. Richmond is fortunate enough to be home to Health Di‑ agnostic Laboratory, Inc. (HDL, Inc.) founded by Tonya Mallory, President and CEO.

“[Richmond] is an ideal location for entrepreneurship, creativity, and job creation, as evidenced by the companyʼs five‑year business plan being met in the first month, and ten‑year business plan met in the first six months.”

Located at the Virginia BioTech‑ nology Research Park, HDL, Inc. has experienced rapid growth and along the way has contributed to a healthy local econ‑ omy. “At a time when overall job growth and innovation has been challenging, HDL, Inc. has oﬀered inspiration to Richmond,”

says Mallory, “by showcasing the fact that the city is an ideal location for entrepre‑ neurship, creativity, and job creation, as ev‑ idenced by the companyʼs ﬁve‑year business plan being met in the ﬁrst month,

and ten‑year business plan met in the ﬁrst six months.” Mallory points out that there are excellent research and development tax credits in Vir‑

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

Located in Downtown Richmond, the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park is home to over 66 life science companies, research institutes, state/federal laboratories that employ over 2,000 scientists, engineers and researchers.

ginia. “We see tremendous bi‑partisan support from both the Governor and local oﬃcials for important economic development and job creation initiatives in the biotech sector.”

Today, there is a better way to predict heart disease and other related diseases. After 50 plus years of research HDL, Inc. is just scraping the surface of what is possible, thanks to advanced testing.

Health Diagnostic Labora‑ tory has enjoyed a break‑ out year in 2011 and shows no signs of slowing down̶thereʼs just too much at stake. Today, there is a better way to predict heart disease and other related diseases. After 50‑plus years of research HDL, Inc. is just scraping the surface of what is possible, thanks to ad‑ vanced testing. Not only has HDL, Inc. seen a growth of 10% per month, but it has also seen an expansion in the number of full‑time employees. In

2009 HDL, Inc. ﬁnished the year with 11 employees. Now in 2011 new hires attend orientation almost every week and the num‑ ber of full‑time employees exceeds 280. While making great strides in medical re‑ search and helping our economy, HDL, Inc. has provided support to The American Heart Association, National Lipid Associa‑

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

tion, Medical Care Plus, and Special Olympics Virginia to name a few. As far as future plans go, Health Diagnostic Laboratory will continue its aggressive growth strategy, as evidenced by the cre‑ ation of another new facility in Richmond in the next six months, as well as an interna‑ tional lab in the coming year. A

CARE CORNER NEWS

Care Advantage Gets Social

In August, Care Advantage oﬀered two tickets to the “Rockin the Race‑ way”

beneﬁt

concert

featuring

WITH FACEBOOK PAGES NOW AVAILABLE FOR CARE ADVANTAGE, NURSE ADVANTAGE AND ALL ABOUT CARE, YOU CAN GET CONNECTED

Dierks Bentley that takes place on

WITH OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

vantageʼs Facebook pages: Care Ad‑

September 8th at the Richmond In‑ ternational Raceway. All contestants had to do was “like” one of Care Ad‑ vantage Inc, Nurse Advantage, All About Care, and Debbie Johnston.

Care Advantage, Inc. Opens a New Location in Goochland

or the latest news, announcements of Em‑ ployee of the Quarter and other updates̶in‑ cluding contests̶checkout the Facebook

pages for Care Advantage, Nurse Advantage and All About Care as well as the Debbie Johnston page. If you are con‑ nected to Linkedin.com, Care Advantage also has a page. On Twitter, you can follow @Care_Advantage. Also check out Care Advantage on Youtube where you will ﬁnd Good News (brought to you by Care Advantage) and features the talents of the School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Com‑ munity (SPARC) that originally aired on July 30th on Chan‑ nel 8ʼs Showcase Richmond.

Billy Gaulding, Assistant Adminis‑ trator and Roslyn Brooks, RN, Home Health Supervisor, are very excited to bring to the Goochland area the compassionate and pro‑ fessional care that Care Advantage has been providing to Greater Richmond for over 23 years. “Iʼve been here since June and Billy Gaulding business has really picked up,” says Gaulding. “We are excited to bring Care Advantage to the people of Goochland.” This is great news for families who have loved ones of any age that require assistance in their average daily living needs. In addition, it brings more opportunities for employment to the area as well; employing Certiﬁed Nursing Assistants, qualiﬁed Com‑ panions, RNs and LPNs as needed. Care Advantage provides care on a private pay basis 2–24 hours a day to include live‑ins on a short‑term or long‑term basis. Care Ad‑ vantage will also be providing Medicaid Personal Care services as well as additional Medicaid Waivers. With the new location, Care Advantage now serves the following areas:

Cartersville Columbia Crozier Goochland Gum Spring Haydensville Louisa Maidens

23027 23038 23039 23063 23065 23067 23093 23102

Manakin Mineral Montpelier Oilville Powhatan Rockville Sandy Hook State Farm

23103 23117 23192 23129 23139 23146 23153 23160

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

CARE CORNER NEWS

At the Duck Race Care Advantage participated in the 22nd Annual Big Brothers/Big Sis‑ ters Duck Race at Brownʼs Island on July 30th. Big Brothers/Big Sistersʼ mission is to help children reach their potential through one‑to‑one relationships with mentors that have a measurable impact on youth. This year 20,000 toy ducks raced down the canal to earn prizes for lucky sponsors. Care Advantage had a booth with giveaways, raﬄes, baskets, and crafts for the kids. A

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Client Appreciation Party With the Richmond Flying Squirrels THANK YOU TO ALL OUR CLIENTS FROM CARE ADVANTAGE, NURSE ADVANTAGE, AND ALL ABOUT CARE FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

n Thursday, July 21st, 2011, Care Advan‑ tage held their sum‑ mer client appreciation party at the Richmond Flying Squir‑ rels Game against the Har‑ risonburg Senators. The picnic pavilion was filled with pink and green balloons, Care Advantage decorations, and fun. There

was a full menu filled with all the ballpark favorites that we treated our 300 plus clients to that were able to come to the game. Clients enjoyed the networking time and the time to spend a night at the ball field with their family. There were also great summer themed baskets being raffled off. The game

started with Owner Debbie Johnston escorting a little boy down to the field to make one of his dreams come true and throw the first pitch. Everyone then enjoyed watching the Flying Squirrels win against Harrisonburg 8 to 5 and finished off the night with fireworks! Care Advantage, Nurse

Advantage, and All About Care thank all of their clients for being able to come to the game. They are the heartbeat of the company. The Flying Squirrels game was a token of appre‑ ciation to say thank you for all that you do. Thanks again for coming and we hope you all enjoyed the game! A

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

YWCA Issues & Resources: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month IT BEGAN AS A SINGLE DAY OF COMMEMORATION IN 1981, THE FIRST MONDAY IN O CTOBER , A D AY OF U NITY FOR THOSE ADVOCATING FOR THE EDUCATION ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THOSE WORKING TO END ALL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN. IN

1995, THAT SINGLE DAY OF AWARENESS AND COM‑

MUNITY BUILDING EXPANDED TO A WHOLE WEEK OF ACTIVITIES DEDICATED TO MOURNING VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CELEBRATING SURVIVAL STORIES AND UNITING THOSE WORKING TO END VIOLENCE.

said public outreach special‑ ist Rebekah Carrow. “People are often emotionally tied, family tied, have a child in common, or rely on their counterparts for money or utilities̶so itʼs not always as easy as just leaving.” In addition to the transitional housing, the YWCA offers a 24/7 hotline, hospital ac‑ companiment services, as well as i n d i v i d u a l a n d s u p ‑ p o r t group counseling.

ow all of October is dedicated to aware‑ ness as part of Do‑ mestic Violence Awareness Month. Helping commemo‑ rate Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the YWCA is bringing attention to the important issues and re‑ sources available to women and children experiencing sexual or domestic violence. The YWCA, one of the most influential organizations in the area for these issues, has been serving Richmond for over 120 years. The non‑ profit organization started very much like the YMCA, but began offering supportive and rehabilitation services in‑ cluding an emergency shelter and a comprehensive sexual assault center to women and children suffering from abuse in 1979. By the 1980s the YWCA opened the first do‑ mestic violence shelters. The Virginia Sexual and Do‑ mestic Violence Action Al‑ liance defines domestic violence as a pattern of abu‑ sive behaviors used with the intent to exert power and control over another individ‑ ual in an intimate or family

BY COLLEEN CALLERY

In addition to the transitional housing, the YWCA oﬀers a 24/7 hotline, hospital accompaniment services, as well as individual and support group counseling. relationship. This can include typical behavior often associ‑ ated with physical, sexual and emotional abuse, but also can include behaviors like moni‑ toring usage of technical de‑

vices or checking a carʼs odometer to keep a victim under the abuserʼs power. “Its often to oversimplify these [abusive] situations,”

A C T i V E RVAʼS RECREATION & WELLNESS COMMUNITY

“Our approach most likely will be to talk through the op‑ tions,” said Carrow. As of June, the YWCA has fielded over 1,400 hotline calls, pro‑ vided 260 women and chil‑ dren with shelter services and provided over 500 hospi‑ tal accompaniment calls. Among the facilities for im‑ mediate safety, the skills for future safety and everything in between, perhaps the most important service the YWCA offers is empowerment̶the idea that those in abusive sit‑ uations deserve better. “For many it is a foreign concept that they donʼt deserve whatʼs happening in their lives,” said Carrow. “Itʼs always impor‑ tant to hear that.” A

RVA VIBE BY GRID MUSIC EDITOR ANIKA IMAJO ou can learn a lot about a regionʼs artistic community by surveying the local mu‑ sicians who perform. But oﬀ stage, there are numerous personalities and projects that help create RVAʼs vibe and culture. Here are three very diﬀerent projects that are con‑ tributing to the regionʼs reputation as a hotbed of indie music.

PHOTO OF STEVE PAYNE: MALLORY NOE‑PAYNE |

SOUNDWORKS Local audiences may not readily recognize his name, but Steve Payneʼs touch has reached live

THE CAMEL “We may be a B town in terms of population, but we have an A team of players,” explains Rand Burgess, owner of The Camel (1621 W. Broad Street) of his solid belief in Richmondʼs poten‑ tial and his drive to promote

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It was during his initial experiences that young musician Chris Payne learned to navigate the waters of Richmond music and created The Richmond Scene. A website designer by trade, Payne launched www.therich‑ mondscene.com in early 2009 to create a bridge between what he perceived as isolated islands of local talent. Payne recalls realizing, “This is ridiculous. I know there are so many great bands here, but we just have little pockets. Wouldnʼt it be great if there was a way to con‑ nect these people to each other?” Still a work in progress, the website offers membership to mu‑ sicians and artists in general, providing them with network‑ ing opportunities and an arena to showcase their work, gain exposure, and exchange informa‑ tion and services. “We can always do more together,” he Chris Payne remarks, pointing out that the site drew 100 members al‑ most immediately after it went live. The site, while young, has al‑ ready evolved in ways that Payne had not anticipated. “Itʼs an excel‑ lent tool for editorial and promo‑ tional purposes,” he remarks, adding that he hopes it will ulti‑ mately become, “a hub of all differ‑ ent kinds of local music and promotion on a national level.” Payne, whose ventures also include a record label, Church Hill Records, envisions Richmond ful‑ filling its potential on the national music stage. The Richmond Scene has also spawned free annual compilations of local tunes. TRS Mixtape 11, re‑ leased this summer, features sin‑ gles from bands such as NO BS! Brass and Jonathan Vasser and The Speckled Bird.

Many area musicians also rec‑ ognize the symbio‑ sis between The Camel and the en‑ tertainers it hosts. “Rand pulls the best groups in the city and from all over the place,” says Travis Rine‑ hart of local band Jackass Flats, “The staff is always very kind to me and I've grown to consider most of them pals of mine.” Beyond exposing Richmond audiences to visiting bands and supporting the efforts of local artists, The Camel demonstrates a broader interest in contributing its surrounding community. “We hold three to five fundraisers each year for anything from cancer research to the SPCA,” says Burgess. “The staff cares about these causes. I care about them.” Of late, The Camel has added an impressive array of 28 beer taps to complement its creative menu and dynamic entertain‑ ment schedule.

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PHOTO OF CHRIS PAYNE: COURTESY OF CHRIS PAYNE

THE RICHMOND SCENE

music fans in Rich‑ local creative culture. mond for decades. Burgessʼ mis‑ Payne and his sion is apparent in the crew at Soundworks active daily life of the operate behind the Broad Street estab‑ scenes at such major lishment. Building productions as Friday upon the foundation Cheers, The Richmond laid by The Camelʼs Folk Festival, The 2nd original owners, Street Festival, and Burgess features a Steve Payne nightly rotation of Groovinʼ in the Gar‑ den to deliver music to the masses. performances̶sometimes two in And the quality of their work is ev‑ one night̶and a monthly rotation idenced by the legions of clients of artwork. He provides a hos‑ who rely on them to produce their pitable venue for artists of such as‑ entertainment and the diversity of sorted genres as Jazz, Bluegrass, musicians who entrust their sound Heavy Metal, Hip‑Hop, and World to them. Music. “The coolest thing about Providing a challenging serv‑ this place is that every nightʼs dif‑ ice that requires an arsenal of cum‑ ferent,” Burgess points out. bersome and expensive equipment, While attracting a steady meticulous planning, and a vast stream of touring acts, both re‑ supply of expertise, Soundworks gional and international, The Camel has thrived and endured for 35 maintains a primary focus on nur‑ years. Payne, describing his work as turing Richmondʼs homegrown tal‑ a “labor of love,” attributes his com‑ ent and contributing to the local panyʼs success to the sincere dedi‑ community. “Our commitment is cation of his team. “Anybody can to the local scene,” notes Burgess, a buy gear,” Payne notes. “The thing VCU graduate who took over The that sets you apart is Camel three years ago. “We have a experience̶and the people.” shared goal, which is to make each An enviable soul who trans‑ other better.” formed his passion into a livelihood, Payne first ven‑ tured into the world of music as a performer, awed as a teenager by his early ex‑ posure to the Beatles and to the remarkable effect they had on female fans. Contin‑ uing to play bass and guitar around town through the 1960s and into the 1970s, Payne discovered his enthu‑ siasm and innate talent for blending the art and science of sound when he recorded such notable budding tal‑ ents as Page Wilson at his home studio. “Just to be in the presence of that and being a part of capturing that was really exciting,” Payne recalls. And since finding his calling outside of the spot‑ light, Payne has enhanced Richmondʼs collective musi‑ cal experience for genera‑ tions.

FOOD

A Trio of New Eateries to Try

UNIQUE DOWNTOWN DINING OPTIONS OFFER STUNNING SUNSETS AT ROCKETTS LANDING, A SLEEK WINE BAR, AND A CHIC, REVAMPED FIREHOUSE. BY ANIKA IMAJO | PHOTOS: CHRIS OWENS

ransforming a tranquil spot on the banks of the James River into a tropical island getaway, Conch Republic Rocketts (11 Orleans Street) offers cuisine and ambience inspired by the Florida Keys. Consistent with the restau‑ rantʼs theme, such ingredients as plantains, alligator, and (of course) conch play key roles in many of the restaurantʼs abun‑ dant dinner offerings. Appetizers include conch frit‑ ters, steamed blue crab claws, and deep fried, marinated nuggets of gator meat referred to as “Swamp Bites.” Among the numerous entrée options are crab cakes topped with crawfish etouffe and a particularly impressive “Low Country Shrimp” dish, which consists of shrimp sautéed in a creamy sauce̶rich, but somehow not so heavy as to overwhelm the feature compo‑ nent̶and served over cheese grits. Extensive selections of salads, soups (including a wonderfully fla‑ vorful gator chili), sandwiches, and nachos cater to a broad range of tastes and appetites; and each course includes options, from chicken wings to NY strip, to appeal

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to palates favoring turf over surf. A draw equal to Conch Re‑ publicʼs well‑executed cuisine is its airy and relaxed ambience. Housed in a beautiful, open space in the heart of Rocketts Landing, the restaurantʼs distressed walls are adorned with antiqued murals so authentic in appearance that one could almost envision Ernest Hem‑ ingway sipping a rum‑based cock‑ tail at the bar. The tremendous space is packed on any given night with couples, large parties, and individ‑ uals. Crowds surround the main bar and the inside/outside tiki bar that sits in the back corner of the dining area and encroaches onto the large, wrap‑around patio. Looking west from the patio, where musicians imbue balmy evenings with melodic atmos‑ phere, one is treated to a unique and stunning view of the down‑ town skyline. Looking south, one gazes upon the lovely James River and the crafts that travel lazily upon it. Looking directly down, one might be surprised to see rail‑ road tracks, rather than gentle surf and sand. In addition to dinner, Conch

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[This photo & below]: The river oﬀers a dramatic backdrop for Conch Republic Rockettsʼ patios and airy dining room.

Republic Rocketts oﬀers lunch, brunch, and a worry‑free state of mind that promises to attract pa‑ trons throughout the year.

M BISTRO & WINE BAR A hint of sweet to oﬀset savory, a touch of elegant to elevate casual, a splash of bright to highlight sub‑ tle̶M Bistro and Wine Bar (4821 Old Main Street) demonstrates a seasoned chefʼs sense of balance and proportion. The culmination of Chef /Owner Michael Hallʼs distin‑ guished Richmond restaurant re‑ sume, this newest addition to the Rocketts Landing restaurant land‑ scape was a concept born of Hallʼs observations of trends in Rich‑ mond dining. In particular, Hall re‑ sponded to local interest in wine, the growth of which he observed over his last few years as manager and executive chef at The Bull and Bear Club. “Wine is very chic and itʼs very sexy,” Hall explains. M Bistro & Wine Bar currently offers̶under the stewardship of the four sommeliers on staff̶a selection of around 100 wines, and anticipates adding about 50 more options for both on‑

premises consumption and retail purchase. Delivery to residents of Rocketts Landing is another serv‑ ice on M Bistroʼs horizon, accord‑ ing to Wine and Bistro Manager Christopher Simons. But itʼs the cuisine, described by Hall as influenced by both French Country and Southern fare, in which Hall takes most pride. “Our food is a great match for the wine,” Hall says, adding, “Weʼre try‑ ing to keep it a little edgy.” M Bistroʼs dinner menu covers a broad selection of appetizers, such as an amazing, spicy‑sweet fried “sriracha pork” with kale and green onions. Soup and salad op‑ tions include crab bisque and a house creation of spring greens wrapped in English cucumber. Among the featured items in the main dishes, each of which is served with thoughtfully matched sides and sauces. The bistro also offers lunch, brunch, and breakfast, all served by a staff that is as simultaneously im‑ peccable and welcoming as the es‑ tablishment itself. An upper level houses retail cases and a café space. Through both artful plating and the harmonious marriage of

At M Bistro & Wine Bar the menu selections reﬂect the same measured restraint and attention to contrasting elements that is evident in the modish, industrial atmosphere.

In an old ﬁrehouse on East Main Street, “Elvis” and “George Orwell” collaborate with “The Naughty Girl Scout” to provide uncommon se‑ lections for common cravings. No ordinary burger joint, Sta‑ tion 2 boasts a menu of 17 original

burger joint is only as good as its fries will likely be pleased with the quality of Station 2ʼs rendering of the basic burger companion. A generous selection of appe‑ tizers, including several vegetarian options, are a worthy draw for bar and dinner patrons alike. All starters are priced at $7 and under. The “Adult Milkshake” menu offers such liqueur‑infused cre‑ ations as the “Naughty Girl Scout,” a rich and potent blend of vanilla ice cream, Irish cream, creme de menthe, creme de cacao, and chocolate chips. Also available at the bar is a growing list of craft beers from Virginia and beyond. Station 2ʼs character is en‑ hanced by the quirks of its turn‑of‑ the‑century site. Bartender Zack Pettrey explains that the bar area was once the site of horse stables and points out that tracks from horse‑drawn fire carts are still visi‑ ble in the dining room, as is the hole in the ceiling through which firefighters once descended.

Owner Ron Morse is joined by Koontz and Co‑Manager Jeb White, both formerly of the Morseʼs other establishment, Baja Bean Company, in launching his newest venture. Originally intended to be another Fan restaurant, the busi‑ ness found its home in Shockoe Bottom when Koontz realized that the firehouse that had long caught his eye was available for lease. “Everything is kind of boom‑ ing. Thatʼs why we picked this lo‑ cation,” Koontz explains against the background din of nearby con‑ struction. Koontz, who anticipates significant neighborhood support for Station 2, adds, “I want to fill our seats, establish regulars, and have fun with our customers.” Station 2 also offers a chil‑ drenʼs menu, limited off‑street park‑ ing, weekend lunch and brunch fare, off‑premises beer sales, and weekday happy hour specials from 3:30p.m. until 6:00p.m. Open until 2:00a.m., Station 2ʼs full menu is available nightly until 1:00a.m.

Boasting a menu of 17 original hamburger interpretations, and nine variations on the traditional milkshake theme, Station 2ʼs character is enhanced by the quirks of its turn‑of‑the‑century site.

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STATION 2

hamburger interpretations, nine variations on the traditional milk‑ shake theme, seven “Adult Milk‑ shakes,” and a slew of intriguing appetizers and sides. The new restaurant opened its enormous firehouse doors in August, with a menu designed to appeal on a number of levels. “The whole idea behind our menu was to do as much with local ingredi‑ ents as affordably possible,” says General Manager Ryan Koontz, emphasizing Station 2ʼs mission to serve quality food at low prices. Each char‑grilled burger̶ composed of a half‑pound of Vir‑ ginia‑raised beef and served on bread baked in Richmond̶is so well‑constructed that the buns of even the most topping‑laden sand‑ wiches remain intact, and addi‑ tional condiments seem superfluous. Options include the “Curryous,” composed of curry‑in‑ fused components topped with cu‑ cumbers, Virginia‑grown pea shoots, and curry mayonnaise, and the “Elvis,” a burger dressed with peanut butter, grilled bananas and applewood‑smoked bacon. Burger purists may opt for classic top‑ pings, while vegetarians may enjoy their combination of choice on house‑made black bean burgers. And those who believe that a

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eclectic flavors, the dishes reflect the same measured restraint and attention to contrasting elements that is evident in the modish, in‑ dustrial atmosphere. Simons points out that the once cold, con‑ crete site took on a touch of warmth with the addition of the wooden bar. Modest splashes of red against the charcoal gray walls introduce just the right amount of color, in much the same way that the drizzle of sriracha boosts the color and flavor of the bistroʼs pork appetizer without overwhelming it. Opened in early August, M Bistro and Wine Bar has already drawn customers from beyond its immediate area. And Hall, who says he had patrons who travelled from Short Pump within the first couple of weeks of the restaurantʼs launch, is confident that the bistroʼs loca‑ tion will heighten its appeal. “When you come to Rocketts,” he says, “you feel like youʼre some‑ where other than Richmond.”

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Richmond International Wine Excursion at Historic Tredegar F eaturing wines from more than 12 countries, the “Rich‑ mond International Wine Excursion” will take place on Octo‑ ber 28‑29th at Historic Tredegar (470 Tredegar Street). “There will be over 60 winer‑ ies showcasing more than 300 wines from across the globe, as well as 8 to 10 restaurants and wine‑related vendors,” explains Tracey Reed Leverty with Echelon Event Management. On Wednesday, October 26th the “Richmond International Wine Excursion Preview Party,” pre‑ sented by Macyʼs, will oﬀer atten‑ dees a complimentary Riedel crystal wine glass, wine samples, and food. Though the preview is a free event, space is very limited. Fridayʼs topic “Discovering Portugal with Bartholomew Broadbent” will have the world‑ class importer speak on the extraor‑ dinary wines of Portugal, a nation that has recently seen its dry red wines emerge on the world stage. Saturdayʼs seminars include “Wine and Cheese Together: From

Pratfalls to Pleasure,” presented by Bob Talcott, the wine director at Richmondʼs CAN CAN Brasserie in Carytown; “Discover Eight Classic Grape Varietals from St. Michelle Wine Estates” will be led by George A. Foote, St. Michelle Wine Estates National Wine Educator; and “Spain: the Excitement, the Glamour, the Allure” is slated to survey the wave of new wines emanating from all corners of the country. Of course, both days will

offer the “Lexus of Richmond Walk‑Around Grand Tasting” where hundreds of wines will be served from the New and Old World, including Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, South Africa, Greece, New Zealand, Germany, Califor‑ nia, Chile, and more. In most cases, wines will be poured by representatives of the wineries, who are in the best position to enlighten attendees about their unique characteristics.

“In addition to the wine tast‑ ing, world cuisine and light musical entertainment will contribute to the festivities,” says Leverty. Go to www.wineexcursion.com for details, ticket information, as well as a complete schedule of events.

Bartholomew Broadbent is one of the worldʼs foremost authorities on Port and Madeira. He is credited for being responsible for the growth of Port consumption in North America during the mid‑ 1980s. He was responsible for the re‑introduction of Madeira to America in 1989 and instrumental in its growth since then. Bartholomew Broadbentʼs company, Broadbent Selections, Inc., founded in 1996, is the exclusive US national importer for some of the worldʼs most sought after family wineries, including Chateau Musar, Warwick Estate, Spy Valley, Ferreira, Quinta do Crasto, Aresti, Louis Guntrum, Montsarra Cava, Pago de Larrainzar, Vila‑ fonte, Badenhorst, and Dr. Hermann. He also produces his own Broadbent Port, Madeira, and Vinho Verde in Portugal.

Better yet: stop buying the super expensive dresses and go for something that is still fashionable but not so expensive that you feel an obligation to wear it as many times as possible; or even worse, never do anything with it and it just hangs in your closet, lonely forever since you are too guilty to let it go.

BLACK AND BOLD If the cocktail dress isnʼt quite your style or you need a little more pres‑ ence, this long flowing gown (Sherri Hill $359) is one way to mix it up and is definitely a show stopper. The slits in the front pull in a bit of the cock‑ tail style while showing off your shoes. Lucky for me in this case; I had to make sure you could see the zebra striped shoes that set off this piece perfectly. (Miss Me, $59).

PINK PERFECTION If you prefer to stay sweet about it all with a hint of sexy, consider this pink strapless (Evenings by Allure, $329). You will feel like a princess all night and want to enjoy a few slow dances as the evening goes on. While the sweet‑ ness is obvious, the sexy is found in the back with the corset style lace up.

What’s Kyra Wearing?

BY KYRA OLIVER

YES YOU CAN CAN! | SITTING PRETTY AT CAN CAN BRASSERIE all is approaching us rather quickly, and so are the soirées. Since most of us are still embracing our last weeks of summer casual, it might be helpful to start considering some elegant fall attire. Richmond is ﬂooded with fabulous events like Cure by Design in September, The Pink Tie Gala in October, The Childrenʼs Hospital Ball in November, and SCAN in December̶there are

plenty to choose from. That said, one of the most diﬃcult things that women have to deal with this season is making sure they do not wear the same dress they wore last year. Although frustrating and sometimes expensive, itʼs deﬁ‑ nitely something fall partygoers must consider, especially if you know the press will be around. Thatʼs not to say one canʼt space out their dress selections

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.

with enough time to allow wearing them again, but if you have a few extras lying around, what do you do with those old dresses? Try one of these options: give them to a needy charity like Cinderella Dreams, (cinderealldreams.net), that donates dresses to young girls; have them altered̶a longer dress may become a cocktail dress; or perhaps raise some funds for a re‑ placement and sell them on eBay.

These dresses were found at Lexʼs of Carytown, (www.lexsofcary‑ town.com). Whatʼs nice about Lexʼs is that you can find affordable dresses that donʼt lose any ground to much pricier offerings. As with any event, be it a casual cookout or a luxurious winter ball, itʼs all about having fun and feeling good while you do. Dress well, always.

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BRONZE BEAUTY Currently, the cocktail dress is the hot ticket for black tie galas. This is fun for everybody since there are so many options. Get spicy with a little or a lot of sequins, or keep it classy with a quiet, sophisticated cut. For one approach, try this bronze strapless cocktail dress (Sherri Hill, $349) and the bronze platform shoes, (Miss Me, $69). It will start your evening with a fun attitude lasting you well into the late night after‑party. Since this dress is like a piece of jewelry itself, you really only need one addi‑ tion. Simple earrings or this bronze bracelet, ($32) will add a perfect ﬁnishing touch.

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PHOTOS: SHOT ON LOCATION AT CAN CAN BRASSERIE [3120 W. CARY STREET] BY CHRIS OWENS

Here are a couple of options for the season that wonʼt result in a second mortgage:

PAGE VIEWS

Book Buzz

BY DAVE SMITHERMAN

PUBLISHING, SPEAKING & WRITING–ITʼS ALL PART OF THE JOB ike most industries these days, the book business is ever‑evolving. With the advent of e‑readers, digital print‑ ing, and fewer brick‑and‑mortar stores, change is inevitable. Read‑ ing will always be alive in our cul‑ ture; we just have to embrace the changes. As a publisher, I wear many hats when it comes to the book business. Itʼs not just about publishing, but being involved in the industry in various ways. One of those ways is book coaching and speaking. Iʼve helped guide many authors on their path to make publishing a reality. There are many options these days. Itʼs just a matter of determining whatʼs right for your project. Many writers will be gather‑ ing at the James River Writers Conference on October 7 & 8 at the Library of Virginia to learn more about books, publishing, and promotion. Iʼll be speaking on a couple of panels about the impor‑ tance of social media and how a writer can create a successful on‑

My job was to listen to Bill’s stories and help arrange them in an interesting, compelling, and creative way. line presence. Itʼs always interest‑ ing to meet writers who love the craft and want to learn as much as they can. You can ﬁnd out more about the conference by visiting www.JamesRiverWriters.org. Consider signing up, and of course attending one of my sessions! Co‑writing or ghost writing has been around as long as there have been writers. Many authors depend on others to help them craft a great story. Iʼve been fortu‑ nate to work on lots of projects as a co‑writer to provide input to

make a book the best it can be. A popular genre of books has always been those that are celebrity‑driven. My most recent project is called So You Are a Star: Coming to terms with fame, infat‑ uation and family by Bill Hudson (Amazon, Barnes & Noble). He was part of the 1970s group The Hud‑ son Brothers. He went on to marry two popular actresses, Goldie Hawn and Cindy Williams. Heʼs the father of Oliver and Kate Hudson, but during their childhood he be‑ came alienated from them.

Ashland Resident Writes Powerful Story

My job was to listen to Billʼs stories and help arrange them in an inter‑ esting, compelling, and cre‑ ative way. Even the title is a play on a song that The Hud‑ son Brothers eventually dedi‑ cated to Goldie Hawn. The book is being produced by an‑ other publisher (not my com‑ pany) and the publication date is Halloween day, October 31, 2011. Working with people who are used to being in the spotlight is a totally diﬀerent animal, but challenges are a great way to con‑ tinue honing those writing (and negotiating) skills. So Iʼll keep to helping writers on their path to publication, work‑ ing with celebrities to tell their sto‑ ries (Iʼve got a few projects coming out next year), and speaking at conferences and festivals to spread the word about the publishing ex‑ perience. Itʼs all about embracing change and making it work. Maybe itʼs time for you to revisit that novel you never ﬁnished.

BY RACHEL REYNOLDS

“HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WRITING A BOOK?” have heard this phrase fre‑ quently over the course of the last two years. Until 2009, the most writing I had done consisted of technical reports for work or the oc‑ casional news article for the church newsletter. Everything changed when cancer entered my life. When my three‑year‑old daughter, Charlotte, was diag‑ nosed with a brain tumor, my world imploded. Less than a day after her diagnosis, we created an online blog using Caring Bridge, a resource for families experiencing health crises. We started the blog as a way for our family and friends to keep up with our daughterʼs health situation. It turned out to be so much more. As the year progressed, we used the blog to document our time in and out of the hospital. It became a way to not only share news and events in our lives but also to reﬂect on the emotions sur‑ rounding every twist and turn in our journey. Writing was an easy

R I C H M O N D

Rachel Reynolds

Writing was an easy way to communicate our needs and emotions to a lot of people, but it was also therapeutic.

Visit Reynoldʼs blog I SEE WHAT YOU MEME www.iseewhatyoumeme.blogspot.com

way to communicate our needs and emotions to a lot of people, but it was also therapeutic. Charlotte lost her battle with

rid.

C O M

cancer in January 2010, but the writing has continued. At the urg‑ ing of many, I continued to write, starting a personal blog and col‑

lecting my thoughts from the events of the last two years into a soon‑to‑be published memoir (Palari Publishing). Itʼs one thing to have all of those thoughts in your head. It is quite another to see them on paper. Inviting strangers into the process takes it to a whole other dimension. The book has seen two revisions as it has been edited and re‑edited in between my already busy work schedule. Iʼm now deep into the ﬁnal editing process, forming the words into a narrative that will (hopefully) allow others to experience the story through my voice. Although the finish line is near, there is still so much to do. With final editing I begin the process of designing a cover, se‑ lecting the layout, dotting the iʼs, crossing the tʼs and correcting all the comma splices. When all is said and done, I will be a pub‑ lished author. At least I will now be able to answer that question, once and for all.

Anyone Whose Heart’s Been Had Sex, love and marriage are up for grabs when the women of Anyone Whose Heartʼs Been Had attempt to take control of their destiny̶for better or worse̶and end up as dinner guests at the legendary Valerie Hotel one fateful evening. “What does getting married have to offer you that you havenʼt already got?” famed feminist Muffy Griggslet Hart challenges the other guests at power‑table thirty‑four in this multi‑generational love story set in the politically‑correct nineties. Ted Randlerʼs novel is a dark comedy of fifteen disparate characters whose lives intersect when Muffy is in‑ vited to speak in Richmond. Through the messy, but necessary, romantic intrigues wherein everyone gets what they want and nobody wants what they get, the Claremont family is rattled when their disturbed matriarch, Peggy̶in‑ spired by the Marriage Abolitionistʼs appearance on the Phil Donahue Show̶decides to liberate herself from her “disposed‑of ” life. Retta, her romance‑junkie of a daughter is recruited by Peggyʼs stoic husband, Hunter, to rectify matters only to have their lives spin out of control when Retta arrives with the lusty and exotic Rusty Alchopt.

Paperback ISBN 978‑192‑8662‑525 $14.95

PALARI B OOKS .com

Paperback ISBN 978‑192‑8662‑242 $14.95

Feng Shui Love Feng Shui Love by Richmonders Joni Davis and Lisa Hyatt is a hilarious twist on the traditional “chick lit” genre. Most women cite adultery, financial ruin, or irreconcilable differences for the demise of their marriages, but Lily Cham‑ berlayne cites a dark musty closet. After Lily returns from a disastrous second honeymoon in which her high‑powered attorney‑husband cops to having an affair with his trashy legal assistant (so cliché she could book them a spot on Jerry Springer), sheʼs forced to pick up the pieces and try again in the quest for true love. So she lands on the New York City doorstep of her lifelong friend, Brook Bellevue, a rock journalist for a cable station, whoʼs also newly single. Lilyʼs wacky mother, Lauraine, insists the pairʼs failed relationships are due to the bad energy trapped in their living spaces. During one of her frantic visits, with a feng shui expert in tow, the duo transforms the girlsʼ apartment into a peaceful and harmonious space (insert eye rolls here). But when positive changes result almost immediately, Lily canʼt help but get caught up in the feng shui frenzy herself as sheʼs inundated with a new batch of suitors; her very own Dr. Dreamy, her nerdy classmate from 11th grade biology class, and even her ex‑husband is back for forgiveness. But which one will become her Feng Shui Love?

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