All Things Richmond

Shockoe Bottom Lights Up!

2010-10-19T06:43:00.001-04:00

1708 Gallery invites you to the Third Annual InLight Richmond on Friday, October 22 in Richmond's historic Shockoe Slip.

From 7:30 p.m. to midnight, streets, walls, facades and interiors along Cary Street between 12th and 14th Streets and along 13th Street between Main Street and Canal will be transformed by 37 light-inspired art installations.

While experiencing InLight Richmond 2010, take advantage of some of Richmond finest restaurants, many of which will feature $17.08 specials including:

Bistro Bouchon - Cheese and Charcutrie Platter
Europa Italian Cafe & Tapas Bar - Shrimp and Andouille Ravioli
Kobe Japanese Steaks & Sushi - Tuna Teriyaki or Hibatchi Shrimp
La Grotta Italian Ristorante - Beef and Fontina Ravioli with walnuts and cream sauce
Morton's The Steakhouse - 3 Prime Mini Cheeseburgers, Chicken Goujonettes, Mini Iceberg Wedge Salad
Sam Miller's Restaurant- Whole Lobster with truffeled sweet potato fries and braised kale
The Dining Room at The Berkeley Hotel- Prime Rib and Baked Potato
The Tobacco Company Restaurant - Two Glasses of Virginia Wine with our housemade butter cake
The Urban Farmhouse Market & Cafe - Grilled Cheddar and Apple sandwich ($7.08),
Pumpkin Ice Cream ($1.70), Harvest Coffee Cider and Hot Apple Cider ($1.70)

For more details about InLight Richmond 2010, click HERE.

www.1708gallery.org

info@1708gallery.org

Virginia Arts & Letters LIVE

2010-10-12T13:44:00.000-04:00

Virginia Arts & Letters LIVE is coming to the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen on Friday, October 15, at 7:00pm. Virginia actors read short stories by Virginia writers, accompanied by Virginia musicians. The acclaimed Pat Carroll returns to host the 2010 Show.

New this year: Support The READ Center by attending their pre-show reception and purchasing your VALL tickets through them. The READ Center Board of Directors invites you to a Cocktail and Hors d'ouevres Reception at 6:00pm in the Gumenick Art Gallery. The reception plus VALL tickets are $50. (Checks should be made payable to The READ Center or pay online.) $30 supports the READ Center Student Curriculum Fund and is tax deductible. $20 covers admission to Virginia Arts & Letters LIVE. The reception will highlight stories of personal enrichment and positive change in our community resulting from the Center's adult literacy programs.

You may also purchase tickets directly from the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 261-ARTS (2787). More information at James River Writers.

Friday, October 15, 2010 7:00pm

Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen
2880 Mountain Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060

261-ARTS (2787)

Virginia Arts & Letters LIVE is just one of many events that comprise the Library of Virginia's NEW week-long Literary Festival in October.

1708 Gallery's InLight Richmond

2010-09-30T16:30:00.001-04:00

Bring your lantern and help 1708 Gallery kick off InLight Richmond 2010 with a Community Lantern Parade on Friday, October 22 in Richmond's historic Shockoe Slip.

We will gather in the James Center's Atrium at 12th St. and Cary St. at 7 p.m. where you will receive a LED candle for your lantern. The parade will begin at 7:30 p.m. Wear your cobblestone-friendly shoes. Paid parking is available at the James Center.

OCTOBER 1ST
First Fridays Free Lantern Making Workshop
7 to 10 pm, all ages, free
Featuring PAPER HOUSE LANTERNS with Richmond painter, sculptor
and printmaker, Matt Lively and other artful lantern designs.

OCTOBER 3RD
VELLUM LANTERN Workshop with George Ferrandi
1 to 4 pm, ages 15 and up, $25, Visual Art Center of Richmond, 1812 W. Main St.
George Ferrandi is a Brooklyn artist who has conducted lantern
workshops in Philadelphia and Baltimore for lantern parades.
Pre-registration is required at www.1708gallery.org/inlight. Space is
limited to 25 participants.

OCTOBER 6TH
RECYCLED LIGHT Workshop with Noah Scalin
5:30 to 8 pm, ages 15 and up, $25, 1708 Gallery, 319 W. Broad St.
Noah is a local designer and creator of Skull-A-Day, a yearlong Webby
Award winning online art project. Pre-registration is required at
www.1708gallery.org/inlight. Space is limited to 25 participants.

OCTOBER 14TH
Lantern Making at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond
9:30 to 10:30 am, all ages, free, Visual Art Center of Richmond, 1812 W. Main St.
Create a variety of artful lanterns as part of the Visual Arts Center of
Richmond's Art & Coffee Series.

OCTOBER 2ND, 9TH AND 16TH
Side by Side Saturdays at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond
10 am, Adults w/ kids 5-15, free, Visual Art Center of Richmond, 1812 W. Main St.
Side by Side is a fun and free studio art program for children and
families at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. Sign up for one or all
three workshops. Pre-registration is required at www.visarts.org. Space
is limited.

OCTOBER 16th
Family Lantern Making at Quirk Gallery
4 to 7 pm, all ages, free, Quirk Gallery, 311 W. Broad St.
Help 1708 Gallery celebrate Quirk's birthday by making a variety of
artful lanterns at this neighborhood party. Lantern making from 4-7pm,
short and fun, family friendly films til 9pm. Music spun by WRIR
Community Radio.

OCTOBER (ALL MONTH)
Lantern Making at The Children's Museum
For the month of October, The Children's Museum of Richmond is
offering lantern making in the Art Studios at both the Short Pump and
Downtown locations. Lantern making is free with admission.
Go here to plan your visit.

InLight Richmond 2010 is the third annual public exhibition of contemporary art inspired by light. This year, Shockoe Slip will be transformed by 39 art installations presenting a mix of visual, performance and interactive art showcased in a variety of unexpected spaces - including sidewalks, alcoves, walls, storefronts, building facades, instant gallery spaces and more. Fun for the whole family, you won't want to miss this opportunity to experience and participate in public art!

InLight Richmond is organized by 1708 Gallery, a non-profit arts organization committed to presenting exceptional new art located at 319 W. Broad Street.

For lantern making ideas and to learn more about InLight Richmond, please call 1708 Gallery at 804.643.1708 or visit our website.

Young Artists at Work

2010-09-20T11:10:00.002-04:00

From Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities:

Richmond, VA - The city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will host an art exhibit featuring the works of several of Richmond’s emerging young artists. The exhibit, titled “The Up and Comings,” will open with a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. on October 1 at the Spotlight Gallery, which is located at the department’s Pine Camp Arts and Community Center, 4901 Old Brook Rd.

“This exhibit is an opportunity for the public to be introduced to these talented young adults as they move toward their artistic maturity,” says Shaun Casselle, who works with the department’s art programs. “The featured artists are either college students or recent graduates, and their artwork is fused with both traditional and contemporary techniques.”

The exhibit will be on display through November 5. Spotlight Gallery hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

Family Peace Festival - Today!

2010-09-19T12:26:00.002-04:00

Sunday, September 19, 2010
11 am to 5 pm
Mary Munford Elementary School,

Richmond, Virginia

It's free! It's fun! It's family!
The Peace Festival is for you and your children and friends: our community. Come and enjoy a world with no borders—just curiosity and mutual respect. And ...

Entertainment by LATIN BALLET OF VIRGINIA, HOTEL X, CHIEF RED HAWK, EZIBU MUNTU AFRICAN DANCE COMPANY, BreadWinnaz Peace Rappers, Chinese Dancers!

(Check our PROGRAM page for schedule.)

Cooperative games
Arts & crafts, and community exhibitors
New this year! Art Contest: What does peace look like? 139 entries received! Awards will be given at the Festival
Arts and Crafts tent for children's creativity
Diverse exhibits by cultural, religious, educational and advocacy groups
And—yummy food! Chef Khan, La Milpa Mexican Restaurant, Back to Earth Foods, Ice Cream Connections, Balkan Bakery Cafe

Art 180 Weekend Schedule

2010-09-17T18:07:00.001-04:00

Not because it's been a rough week, but because there's so, so much to DO this weekend! Never ones to miss out on a good time, ART 180 has inserted ourselves in much of the fun to be found this weekend...

Friday (9/17)
Tonight (Friday), we're tending not one but two bars at the 6-9 p.m. opening at Crossroads Art Center. There's always an abundance of art to discover at this enormous facility at 2016 Staples Mill Road, and tonight's opening exhibitions range from workby Hispanic artists, to Damask weaving, to a collage show--PLUS, live music all evening, food, and magic! Visit their website for more details.

Saturday (9/18)
Start the day with Yoga Classes for Charity. To celebrate their 5th anniversary, 4025 Yoga on MacArthur Ave. is collecting donations for ART 180 in exchange for yoga classes. Mindful Morning Hatha is at 10 a.m., and Young Yogis (for ages 9-14) is at 11 a.m.

Then, head to the Visual Arts Center, 1812 W. Main St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the "crafty excellence" that is the Bizarre Market. Proceeds benefit SOHO: Space of Her Own, the art-making, mentoring, community-building program VisArts and ART 180 lead for girls from Gilpin. Some former mentors will even be there, selling handmade bracelets to further benefit this meaningful program. Julie Karr and all-girl band Catnip Dreams will be playing starting at 1 p.m., and food will be available from Sprout and Boka Taco.

Sunday (9/19)
If you're not pooped, come out for the Family Peace Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Mary Munford Elementary. And if you are pooped, this event will surely reinvigorate and inspire you. ART 180 volunteers will be there, leading a chalk mural project as part of the worldwide mural project Chalk4Peace. There will be other children's activities, games, food and entertainment by Latin Ballet of Virginia, Hotel X, Chief Red Hawk, Ezibu Muntu African Dance Company, BreadWinnaz Peace Rappers, and Chinese Dancers. It's free! It's fun! It's family! Go here for deets.

Fill your belly--and your pantry--and help ART 180
Rest up from the weekend and head west next Hump Day to Whole Foods Short Pump, where ART 180 will earn 5% of store sales on Wednesday, September 22. Come eat, shop, and stock up on all the goodness you can carry, knowing the store will share some of your spending with us. Enjoy live music by brother-sister duo Erin and Basil Frye from 5:30-7 p.m., and challenge Squiggle Champion of the World Matt Lively from 4:30-6:30 p.m. (maybe your squiggle will be including in our new book!). Spread the word far and wide to all your friends, especially those who live or work in the West End.

We also need volunteers to bag groceries and chat up customers that day, so please let us know if you or someone you know is looking for a fun, easy, community service gig.

Okay, okay, I'll stop. But there's plenty more in the weeks to follow. Check out our events page for info on a benefit golf tourney, the Minority Art Exhibition (African American and Latin American artists), the Splinters exhibition (art on skateboards), etc., etc., etc.

And coming soon: info on our 15 fabulous fall programs with young people!

Art is an experience from your mind
that tells you what you feel inside...
I can draw mad or scared!

-Anastasia Johnson, 12
Capital One Boys & Girls Club

Art 180 Website

ART 180
0 E. 4th St, Studio
Richmond, VA 23224
804-233-4180

Gabrie Prosser and the Slave Revolt of 1800

2010-09-15T13:12:00.002-04:00

A lesser known part of Richmond history is the story of a slave known as Gabriel Proeser. Gabriel as he is now referred to, planned and led a slave revolt known as Gabriel's Rebellion in August of 1800. A combination of bad luck and bad weather led to his downfall and he and his cohorts were later executed. The city plans to commemorate this sad chapter in Richmond's history as part of the centennial celebration of Joseph Bryan Park. See the press release below for details. For those that are interested, there is a tiny park dedicated to his memory just north of I64 on Lakeside Ave, called Springs Park. It's a peaceful little place, except for the road noise, where you can contemplate nature, history and man's inhumanity to man. For more on this park, visit Spring Park Historical Site.

It's a little hard to find this place, but the map below might help. Going north on Hermatige, it is just past the I95 interchange, immediately to your right behind a Bank of America.

View Larger Map

From the City of Richmond:

Richmond, VA – In honor of the Joseph Bryan Park 100th anniversary, the Friends of Bryan Park has commissioned local playwright and founder of Richmond’s African-American Repertory Theater Derome Scott-Smith to write and produce an historical reenactment about Gabriel, the slave whose life and death are forever entwined with the park’s history. The play, a one-man show, will be performed for free in the park on Friday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. and on October 1, 8, and 15, at 6:30 p.m. Local actor, Timothy L. Harris, who is an imposing 6 feet 6 inches tall, will portray Gabriel.

Gabriel planned a slave uprising in1800, now known as Gabriel’s Rebellion, which was probably the largest conceived in the history of the South. During that summer, the insurrection's leaders met at Young's Spring, beside the creek that runs through Bryan Park. Saturday, Aug. 30, of that year was the night chosen for the uprising, but in a twist of fate, the plans were foiled by a rainstorm that caused flash flooding. The delay ultimately led to the capture and execution of 26 slaves, including Gabriel and his brother.

In the monologue, Harris will portray Gabriel while he was imprisoned awaiting his execution, speculating on his desire for the freedom of all men, his indignation at the injustice of slavery, the planning of his bold rebellion, and his thoughts while facing his own death.

The performances will take place outdoors beside the tennis courts near Picnic Shelter #1. Those planning to attend should bring a blanket or chair for seating. Signs will be
posted to direct visitors to the parking area and performance site. In case of inclement weather, performances will be postponed.

The Friends of Bryan Park is a non-profit resident group founded in 1994 to protect and improve the park. The group works closely with Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities and has organized the park’s centennial celebration, which will take place on Saturday, Sept. 25, from noon to 6 p.m. For more information, call 804-646-5733.

The View Down Floyd From Monroe Park*

2010-09-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm republishing old posts as I see fit or come across them. This photo was just a matter of being there at the right time. The rest is digital magic which I scarcesly comprehend. I hope you like it.

First published March 2008.

Volunteer for the Richmond Folk Festival

2010-09-14T11:25:00.000-04:00

From Venture Richmond

We Need You!

They say "it takes a village" and where the Richmond Folk Festival is concerned, it's a huge village! It takes nearly 1,200 volunteers to make the free weekend of eventshappen for the hundreds of thousands who gather to enjoy the incredible line-up of music, dance and culture from across America.

But we haven't filled all of our positions yet. Volunteering for a single four-hour shift (or more!) offers a fun and stimulating way to support the Festival- and you'll get a great looking t-shirt and the best parking spot, too - all while enjoying the best music in Richmond that weekend.

To find out how you can volunteer, click here!

The Third Richmond Folk Festival,
October 8-10, 2010

James River News Hub

2010-09-14T08:14:00.004-04:00

Phil Riggans of "Richmond on the James" has set up a new blog to aggregate any and all news regarding the James River. It is a great resource for anyone interesting in the James River and care about its future. Read and contribute your own material and find out what's going on the our most precious natural resource.

James River News Hub

Today's JRN Story:

Volunteer Day: Help restore the Pump House

Help HandsOn Greater Richmond and The Friends of James River Park are sponsoring a voluteer day to help restore a section of the James River Canal and return the ballroom in the old Pump House to its glory days as a venue for social events.

See James River News for details.

For more on the Pumphouse check this out.

Richmond's Secret Castle

From

Amazing Performers Coming to Richmond Folk Festival

2010-09-13T11:03:00.004-04:00

From Venture Richmond e-news

Over the years the Richmond Folk Festival has become one of Richmond's most
beloved events, and each year we wonder how we can top the superb performances
and the overall experience from the year before. It's an ongoing and welcome
challenge for us, for the sponsors who pay to keep the Festival FREE, and for
the thousands of community members
who make the Richmond Folk Festival
happen.

But we think we've met the challenge again! This year, as the
line-up is being unveiled with a completely unique list of talent coming to the
festival for 2010, we are once again "wowed" at what you, our festival fans,
will experience.

Check out the amazing list of performers we've
announced (with more to come!) who will grace the seven stages of this year's
Richmond Folk Festival. Stay tuned as we prepare to unveil more very soon!

2010
Performer Pictures, Bios & Sound Clips

About Richmond Folk Festival

The Third Richmond Folk Festival,
October 8-10, 2010

Last year 160,000 people people came down to downtown Richmond's riverfront to celebrate the roots, richness and variety of American culture through music, dance traditional crafts, storytelling and food. This year will offer the same overwhelming excellence you enjoyed last year, with a whole new list of performers, artists and exhibitors.

Richmond Folk Festival
200 South 3rd Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Virginia Waterways Cleanup Starts This Weekend

2010-09-10T07:48:00.003-04:00

A big river and coastal cleanup has snuck up on us. It begins TOMORROW and continues on Saturdays throughout September and October. Read below for details. Participating is run, rewarding and a chance to meet some like minded people who love being outdoors and being part of the solution.

Via: Friends of the James River Park

To all Virginia's water lovers,

The Virginia Waterways Cleanup (part of the International Coastal
Cleanup) is the perfect way to help our environment by donating a few hours of
your time - please volunteer and help out at a cleanup event near you. A full
list of events can be found on the web site: www.signuptocleanup.org This site,
run by the Ocean Conservancy, shows cleanup events that are open to the public
all over the world!

Cleanup events will be held throughout September and October - mostly on Saturdays.

Here is a partial listing of September events:
Saturday, September 11
Douthat State Park (Bath County, VA)
Claytor Lake State Park (Pulaski County, VA) Shenandoah River near Luray
(Page County, VA)
Sunday, September 12
Gillies Creek Park in Richmond, VA
Lynnhaven River in VA Beach
Saturday, September 18
Ft. Monroe in Hampton, VA
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Chincoteague Island, VA
Deltaville in Middlesex County James River State
Park in Nelson & Buckingham Counties False Cape State Park in VA Beach
Sunday, September 19
Shenandoah River State Park (Warren County, VA)
Cowpasture River in Bath County
Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historical State Park in Amelia County
(near Farmville, VA)
Shenandoah River, South Fork
(Page County)
Saturday, September 25
Daingerfield Island Park on the Potomac River
(just north of Old Town Alexandria, VA)
Richmond, VA:
1. Belle Isle in the James River Park
2. Osborne Landing in the James River Park
3. Ancarrows Landing in the James River Park
Arlington VA: Four Mile Run in Barcroft Park Rivanna River in Albemarle
& Fluvanna Counties
York River State Park in James City County
Swift Creek Lade in Chesterfield, VA
Belle Isle State Park in Lancaster County Harrisonburg, VA
(Rockingham/Augusta County)
Chicks' Beach Landing in VA Beach
Jonesville in Lee County Bristol, VA in Washington
County

For details, including time and directions, see www.signuptocleanup.org

About Last Year's
Virginia Waterways Cleanup The 2009 Virginia
Waterways Cleanup/ International Coastal Cleanup in Virginia had a 5,641 volunteers. They picked up 169,517 pounds of litter, and collected very valuable data too! In all, 279 miles of shorelines and beaches were cleaned from Virginia's mountains to the Chesapeake Bay beaches.

Part of Something Bigger
The annual Virginia Waterways Cleanup is part of the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup, which is the world's largest volunteer effort to collect data on litter and trash in the aquatic environment! ICC events are held on the coasts, AND inland, since inland litter often ends up in our oceans. Volunteers not only make our waterways safer and cleaner, but they also collect valuable data that are critical as we strive to reduce the amount of litter and debris in our water.

Please help spread the word about this wonderful stewardship event by forwarding this email to your friends, family, and co-workers. If your county or town doesn't have a cleanup event planned, please signup as a Site Captain, and be a leader in helping your local waterways! Call CVW at 434-395-2602 to learn more.
To signup for a cleanup this fall, visit http://www.signuptocleanup.org/

Thank you so much for your interest and concern for the beautiful rivers
of Virginia.

Sincerely,
The staff and board of Clean Virginia Waterways

P.S. It is not too late to signup as a Site Captain -- any
school, business, church, youth groups or civic organization can sponsor and
organize a local cleanup. Contact CVW for details.

Cool Things You Only Do In Richmond - Redux*

2010-09-05T19:12:00.003-04:00

1. James River Park System
2. Tredegar Civil War Center
3. Shockoe Bottom
4. St. John's Church (Give me liberty, or give me death!)
5. The Byrd Theatre
6. Carytown
7. Maymont
8. The Carillon
9. Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens
10. Dogwood Dell
11. Brown's Island
12. The Canal Walk
13. The Fan
14. The Valentine History Center
15. The Museum of the Confederacy
16. Monument Avenue
17. The Capitol
18. The Library of Virginia
19. Richmond Hill
20. Church Hill
21. Virginia Holocaust Museum
22. Virginia Historical Society
23. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
24. Science Museum of Virginia
25. The Poe Museum
26. The Maggie L Walker House
27. The Nickel Bridge (25 cents please)
28. Riverside Drive
29. Forest Hill Park
30. The Flood Wall

Glaring omission: Hollywood Cemetery

*First published in February 2008.

Tonight! First Fridays Art Walk! Up and Down Broad

2010-03-05T17:26:00.002-05:00

First Fridays Art Walk: Tonight! March 5

February's unprecedented winter weather wrecked havoc on our monthly Art Walk plans, so March's arrival is even more anticipated than usual. And believe us, we've got an evening in store that will be the perfect prescription for the house-bound blues!

First Fridays Art Walk celebrates Downtown and its almost 40 diverse creative businesses, restaurants & accommodations located between Belvidere and 4th Streets, along Historic Broad Street and in Historic Monroe and Jackson Wards. This self-guided walking tour of Historic Downtown finds participating venues open generally between 6-10pm with restaurants opening earlier.

For complete details, check out our Website
For the latest news, check out our Blog

What's Hot This Month? FIRST FRIDAYS EAST!

On March 5, April 2, and May 7, 2010, from 5-8 pm...

"First Fridays East" is our new spring project that showcases the best in arts and culture at four of Downtown's most awe-inspiring locations, and we're very excited by this new partnership and encourage you to join us Friday night, March 5 as we "head east"!

All events are free and open to the public.
Click on venue links below for more info.
Check out the First Fridays Guide & read more about
First Fridays East at Richmond.com

Free Parking is available between 5:30-8pm at the Library of Virginia underground parking garage and at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Parking Garage at the corner of 8th and Grace Streets. Visitors to St. Paul's parking deck can enter anytime between 5:30-8:30 and can exit anytime that evening. Downtown also offers ample street parking and many paid honor parking lots.

Events Scheduled for First Fridays, March 5:

Library of Virginia | Corner of 8th & Broad | 5-8pm

Artist Demonstrations and Live Music
Food and Wine tastings featuring the international award winning Barboursville Winery.
Exhibition: The Land We Live In, The Land We Left: Virginia's People explores the lives of immigrants from a variety of homelands who settled in every part of the state.
Library of Virginia

St. Paul's Episcopal Church | Corner of 8th & Grace | 5-8pm

Annual Lenten Lunch Silent Art Auction featuring artwork, handcrafts, books, prints, photography, jewelry, and more (proceeds support charity)
Lenten Lunch desserts & coffee reception and tours of the historic church, including Tiffany windows.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church

UR Downtown | Corner of 7th & Broad | 5-8pm

Artwork inspired by Surface Tension: Pattern, Texture and Rhythm in Art from the Collection (organized by University of Richmond Museums)
Live bluegrass and roots music from Shake & Howdy (UR professor Dr. Barry Lawson and bandmate Dave Kuo)
University of Richmond Downtown

Richmond CenterStage | Corner of 7th & Grace | 5-8pm

Free performance of Richmond Shakespeare's Othello at the Gottwald Playhouse (co-produced by African-American Repertory Theatre).
THIS PERFORMANCE IS SOLD OUT!
Richmond CenterStage

First Fridays Has Something for Everyone!

Whether you're seeking the latest contemporary art or tribal imports, fine cuisine or home cooking, jewelry or home decor,
walking home or having a weekend getaway in RVA;
Richmond's most popular arts & cultural program is a cultural experience promising something for every taste and pocketbook.

For details on all participating venues, please visit: our website

Here's just a sample of the great events happening this month...

Stayin' Alive fundraiser - art6 - 6 E. Broad
Metro Market- Metro Space Gallery - 119 W. Broad
3-Course Menu only $20 (5-6:30pm) - Bistro 27 - 27 W. Broad
Suzanna Fields: Mixed Media - 9WG Studios - 9 W. Grace
Take Our Stand - Black History Museum - 00 Clay
Romantic Getaways - Linden Row Inn - 100 E. Franklin
Youth Art Month & Writers: Wayne Dementi & Brooks Smith - Richmond Public Library - 101 E. Franklin
3 Bar Menu Appetizers for $20 - Lemaire - 101 W. Franklin
SMBW, Manchester Design Collective, StocktonCLAY -
Quirk - 311 W Broad St

Save the Date!

Shop Richmond Weekend

March 19, 20, 21

Shop Downtown on Saturday, March 20
and enjoy diverse shopping, arts and entertainment,
dining specials, theatre and live music, and more!

Curated Culture is proud to support Shop RVA Weekend and invites you to meet the folks behind
Shop RVA Weekend on Saturday, March 20
and learn more about how to support our local community!
Artisan Alley-323 West Broad St

Shop RVA works to promote and preserve the culture and uniqueness of the Greater Richmond area by encouraging all to heavily support locally owned businesses.

On March 19th, 20th, and 21st of 2010, Shop RVA will launch Greater Richmond's First Annual Shop Richmond Weekend; a celebration of Greater Richmond's locally owned businesses. During this weekend, Shop RVA will encourage visitors and residents to exclusively support Greater Richmond based businesses.

Good Causes in the Community

Junior League of Richmond

Hot Chocolate & Hot Jazz!

Join the Junior League of Richmond this Friday, March 5 from 5:30-8:30pm at 343 West Broad St., which is next door to Quirk Gallery, and warm up with a cup of delicious hot chocolate while listening to the sounds of two of Richmond's hottest jazz artists Roger Carroll (saxophones) & Alan Parker (guitar)!

It'll be delicious plus you'll be supporting the important work of the Junior League whose many community programs support families and children in need.

Curated Culture is proud to support theis event by presenting the appearance of
Roger Carroll and Alan Parker.

Daily Planet

Brunswick Stew Fundraiser

While you're out at First Fridays, enjoy the delicious and wildly popular Brunswick Stew at Perly's while supporting the important work of the Daily Planet.

Perly's Restaurant & Deli is located at 111 East Grace Street, near the corner of 1st & Grace. Dinner fundraiser will be served from 5:30-8:30pm. Tickets are: $15 single or $25 couple.

For questions and tickets, email susan@dailyplanetva.org or call 804.783.2505 ext 241. Daily Planet's mission is to provide accessible, comprehensive, and integrated quality health services to those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Keep in touch with Us!

Curated Culture, Inc

804.304.1554 / curatedculture@comcast.net

First Fridays Art Walk
Learn the latest on our Blog
Follow Us on Twitter!
Become our Friend on Facebook!

Join our mailing list!

We Couldn't Do it Without Our Sponsors!

First Fridays Art Walk 2009-2010 Season is made possible thanks to generous support of our Presenting Sponsor University of Richmond

With additional support provided by Venture Richmond and CenterStage
Media Sponsors: Style Weekly, Richmond.com, Community Idea Stations
Website Design: MetroRMedia

Curated Culture | PO Box 25401 | Richmond | VA | 23260

Shockoe Hill Cemetery - Romances Beyond the Grave

2010-02-11T16:29:00.002-05:00

From Carver & Jackson Ward News:

Join the Friends of Shockoe Hill Cemetery on Valentine’s Day from noon-3PM at the Keeper’s House in the Cemetery (4th Street and Hospital Street). Hear from Chris Semtner, Curator of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum and author of Edgar Allan Poe in Richmond; and Chief Justice John Marshall scholar Sylvia Evans, in this interactive celebration of timeless love.
...
Refreshments will be provided. The event is free and open to the public.

Shockoe Hill Cemetery is located on Hospital Street between 2nd and 4th streets.

Map

March 2010 Downtown Events

2010-02-09T21:38:00.003-05:00

It’s nice to know that Spring is right around the corner and that the downtown will start to heat up with the weather.

The following is just a sample of what we have to look forward to. See the full list from Venture Richmond here.

Friday, March 5 - Monday, March 8

CAA Championship Fan Fest

Festival Park (adjacent to the Richmond Coliseum), Free admission to the Fan Fest, varying ticket fees to the tournament

Stop by this year's new FanFest outside the Coliseum before and after your game to meet up with your friends (or meet new friends!), watch the games on large-screen tv's, listen to music (including CAA school pep bands), play a few games, shop for CAA merchandise and purchase snacks and beverages! For CAA details visit www.caasports.com.

Saturday, March 13

8^th Annual Shamrock the Block

18^th Street in Shockoe Bottom, Free admission, 12pm-6pm

Richmond's biggest St. Patrick's Day bash held every year in Shockoe Bottom! We bring out live bands, great food, crafts, fun for the kids and of course, green beverages! Join us again this year and hang out with 20,000 of your closest friends! For more information visit www.shamrocktheblock.com or call 804-304-6870.

Saturday, March 20

I Know Richmond: The Bus Tour

Meet at the Valentine Richmond History Center, 1015 E. Clay Street, $23, 1-4pm

An overview of the history of the city of Richmond, including Court End, the James River and the Fall Line, Church Hill, Jackson Ward, the Fan and Monument Avenue. Tour drives by St. John's Church, Hollywood Cemetery, Main Street Station, the Jefferson Hotel and the Museum and White House of the Confederacy. The group also will have the opportunity to tour the Capitol, walk Capitol Square and see the recently dedicated Civil Rights Memorial. Reservations Required by calling 804-649-0711 x301.

www.venturerichmond.com

www.richmondriverdistrict.com

Venture Richmond on Facebook

Venture Richmond on Twitter

Venture Richmond on YouTube

James River Writers: Get Your Word On

2010-02-09T09:22:00.001-05:00

Get Your Word On

News, views and more from
James River Writers

February 9, 2010

In the words of NPR music-show host Karl Haas (may he rest in peace), hello everyone. I'm George Tisdale, freshly minted member of the JRW board. I attended my first board meeting a few weeks ago and left sans assignment thinking, "This is going to be pretty easy." "Not so fast," said the JRW Press Gang of Pye and Westrick the next morning and just like that I was the new editor of this newsletter. Now, unlike Karl I don't like to repeat myself, so in future issues I'll endeavor to whet your appetite in this space for what follows in the newsletter. (Yes, whet, I just checked.) For this issue, I'll plug two events: Writers Wednesdays and The Writing Show. The former is your chance to meet a few JRW members. Had you attended last month, you would have met a playwright whose work is being staged and a former Russian ICBM scientist. See what you're missing? And don't miss this month's Writing Show, an open-mic on an endearing topic: love. Read on, please, and discover some of what JRW has to offer.

Writers Wednesdays has a new location:

Leave your fictional characters home and spend time with real-life characters at the next Writers Wednesdays: February 10 at our new location:

GlobeHopper Coffeehouse & Lounge
2100 East Main Street

804-523-8083

Parking on both sides of 21st Street is suggested and free. Writers Wednesdays will be holding court in the front of the restaurant, right at the door, so you can't miss us.

Writers Wednesdays is JRW's casual meet and greet for writers in every genre on the second Wednesday of every month, 5:30-7:30 PM. We'll be switching our location in March, so this is your chance to check out GlobeHopper with us!

The Writing Show: What's Love Got To Do With It?

JRW's first-ever open mic dedicated to love found, lost and hopelessly unrequited. Reveal (in 3 minutes or less) your stories, poems, rants, soliloquies, lyrics, diary entries and steamy chat histories regarding the wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction known as Love.

With special host, poet T.S. Prunier.

Email anne@JamesRiverWriters.org by February 18 to guarantee your 3-minute space for the evening. Write "February Open Mic" in the subject line. If time allows, sign ups for time slots will be available at the door.

February 25, 6:30-8:30 PM
The Pavilion Room
The Children's Museum of Richmond
2626 West Broad Street

$5 admission in advance or at the door

For more information and online registration visit jamesriverwriters.org

News

James River Writers welcomed ten new members to its Board of Directors in January 2010, and expanded the Advisory Board to eleven distinguished supporters.

JRW Member Jody Rathgeb recently had three different stories accepted by three different publications: The Battered Suitcase, The Ink-Filled Page and Tongues of the Ocean.

VCU Professor and JRW Member Kristin Swenson's book has just been released: Bible Babel: Making Sense of the Most Talked-About Book of All Time (HarperCollins).

Richmonder Cheryl Pallant's newest poetry book, Morphs, is out from Cracked Slab Books. Her prose poem "Yonder Zongs" is included in the anthology, An Introduction to the Prose Poem, by Firewheel Editions, and Sentence Magazine recently published her poem "Emoting Force."

JRW Board Members Visit ARGS

In January, JRW Board Members helped adjudicate student writings at The Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts and Technology in Petersburg, VA. Pictured here (from left) are JRW Board Chair Virginia Pye, and board members Doug Blue and Cynthia Cros White with the, uh, remains of the day.

Donations Wanted

James River Writers has a new office...and it could use a little TLC. We're looking for a rug (6'x9' or 8'x10'), some floor lamps, a chest or coffee table, and a set of 4 low chairs so that JRW members can stop by, kick back and put their feet up. If you have an item you'd like to donate to JRW, please put "office donation" in the subject line and email anne@jamesriverwriters.org.

The Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts and Technology in Petersburg, VA is seeking book donations from authors for the school's annual PTSA silent auction. Funds raised from this event provide vital support for ARGS and its programs, including its strong literary arts department. Donated books will be displayed online, in the auction, and in a list of items-great publicity!
Please send your signed book by February 15 to:

Patty Smith/Book Auction
ARGS
512 W Washington St
Petersburg VA 23803

Lit Picks by Cathy Allen

Is love "just a second-hand emotion"? To get ready for JRW's first open mic at The Writing Show on February 25, read these books with all shades and sides of love:

Robert Goolrick's A Reliable Wife shatters what matters in relationships.

Kathleen Grissom "cooks up a mess" of family ties, tensions, and tragedies in The Kitchen House.

Mair W. Conrad's heart-warming story of marriage and family, My Virginia Gentleman.

For more faces and places, please visit JRW's online calendar.

Events, We Got 'em

2/10/2010 5:30 - 7:30 PM: "Writers Wednesdays." Every second Wednesday JRW hosts a casual meet and greet for writers of all genres. This month at GlobeHopper Coffeehouse & Lounge, 2100 E Main, 804-523-8083. Free parking on 21st St.

2/11/2010 12 - 1 PM: Richmond Noir. Featuring editors Andrew Blossom, Tom De Haven, & Brian Castleberry, with contributors Laura Browder, Dennis Danvers, Dean King & Meagan Saunders. Free and open to the public. Limited free parking under the library. At The Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St, 804-692-3500.

2/11/2010 6:30 PM: Robert Goolrick reads and signs A Reliable Wife. At Fountain Bookstore, 1312 E. Cary, 804-788-1594.

2/12 - 2/13/2010 "WomanKind" Conference, with keynote speaker NYT best-selling author Anne Lamott. At St. James Episcopal Church, 1205 W. Franklin. For program details and costs see http://www.womankindrichmond.com/.

2/13/2010 10 AM - 12 PM: Virginia Romance Writers presents "Strong Writing, and the Myth of Writer's Block," with acclaimed guest speaker playwright & JRW Board Member Douglas Jones. Non-members welcome. At Central Library, 9501 Lori Rd, Chesterfield, 804-748-1603.

2/13/2010 1 PM: Lillian Lincoln Lambert signs The Road to Someplace Better: From the Segregated South to Harvard Business School and Beyond.At Barnes & Noble, Libbie Place, 5501 West Broad, 804-282-6704.

2/13/2010 5 PM & 8 PM: SlamRichmond's Poetry Slam Workshop and Open Mike. At Artspace Gallery, 31 E 3rd St, 804-232-6464.

2/17/2010 6:30 - 8:30 PM: "Writing Romance Novels," featuring author Mary Montague Sikes (Night Watch). At the monthly meeting of the Richmond Chapter of the Virginia Writers Club. Free and open to the public. At Gayton Library, 10600 Gayton Rd.

2/18/2010 12 - 1 PM: Dr. Katherine Clay Bassard presents and signs Transforming Scriptures: African American Women and the Bible. Free and open to the public. Limited free parking under the library. At The Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St, 804-692-3500.

2/18/2010 12 PM & 7 PM: Robert Poole presents his book On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington Cemetery. Part of the Banner Lecture Series. Admission $5 Adults/$4 Seniors/$4 Children & Students/Free to VHS members. Free parking available. At The Virginia Historical Society, 428 N. Boulevard, 358-4901.

2/18/2010 6:30 PM: Richmond Noir. Featuring editors Andrew Blossom, Tom De Haven & Brian Castleberry, with contributors Dennis Danvers, Dean King, Howard Owen, Meagan Saunders & Anne Thomas Soffee. At Fountain Bookstore, 1312 E. Cary, 804-788-1594. Check Fountain Bookstore for possible venue change.

2/19 - 2/21/2010 "Christian Writers Retreat." Workshops and critique sessions. Cost: $175 includes lodging & meals/ $95 includes meals only if commuting. At Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center, 9275 Barnes Rd, Toano. For details please see http://www.hanoverwriters.org/christianwritersretreat or email Joanne Liggan at jliggan@verizon.net.

2/20/2010 2 - 4 PM: George Nixon signs his children's book The Boy Who Lived In Only Green Land. At Book People, 536 Granite Avenue, 804-288-4346.

2/20/2010 2 PM: Debbie Woods signs A Fit Life. At Barnes & Noble, Libbie Place, 5501 West Broad, 804-282-6704.

2/20/2010 3 - 5 PM: Alix Dobkin reads and signs My Red Blood. At The Gay Community Center of Richmond, 1407 Sherwood Ave, 804-266-4313.

2/20/2010 5 PM & 8 PM: SlamRichmond's Poetry Slam Workshop and Open Mike. At Artspace Gallery, 31 E 3rd St, 804-232-6464.

2/21/2010 2 - 5 PM: Richmond Christians Who Write meets on the third Sunday of every month. At Grove Avenue Baptist Church, 8701 Ridge Rd. For more information, contact Tom Lacy, 804-749-4050, revtcl@aol.com or Rebekah Robb, 804-527-0913, info@rebekahrobb.com.

2/23/2010 6:30 PM: Kathleen Grissom reads and signs The Kitchen House. At Fountain Bookstore, 1312 E. Cary, 804-788-1594.

2/24/2010 6:45 - 9 PM: The Virginia Screenwriters' Forum meets monthly (except July, August and December) at Art Works in downtown Richmond. VSF offers support and constructive feedback to screenwriters. Throughout the years, member scripts have been made into movies, a PBS documentary, and optioned by major production companies. Aspiring screenwriters are welcome. To attend email vsf@comcast.net.

2/25/2010 6:30 - 8:30PM: JRW presents their first-ever Open Mic "What's Love Got To Do With It?" at The Writing Show, with special host, poet T. S. Prunier. To participate onstage, email anne@jamesriverwriters.org with the subject "February Open Mic" on or before February 18th. Spectator/Participant admission: $5. At the Children's Museum of Richmond, 2626 W Broad St, 804-474-7000.

2/27/2010 DEADLINE for submissions to the Virginia Romance Writers "Holt Medallion" Contest.

2/27/2010 9 AM - 12 PM: "Nature Writing: Getting the Environment onto the Page." Workshop presented by Erika Howsare. Cost $55 members/ $60 non-members. At WriterHouse, 508 Dale Ave, Charlottesville, 434-296-1922.

2/27/2010 1 - 3 PM: Mair W. Conrad signs her memoir My Virginia Gentleman, sequel to On the Golden Stairs. At Book People, 536 Granite Avenue, 804-288-4346.

2/27/2010 2 PM: Tim Dorsey reads and signs Gator A-Go-Go. At Fountain Bookstore, 1312 E. Cary, 804-788-1594.

2/27/2010 2 PM: John Fenzel signs The Lazarus Covenant. At Barnes & Noble, Libbie Place, 5501 West Broad, 804-282-6704.

2/27/2010 5 PM & 8 PM: SlamRichmond's Poetry Slam Workshop and Open Mike. At Artspace Gallery, 31 E 3rd St, 804-232-6464.

MARCH 2010

3/1 - 3/4/2010: 15th Annual John Tyler Community College Literary Festival, featuring esteemed Virginia poet and author Darnell Arnoult (Sufficient Grace). Free & open to the public. Please bring donations of gently used paperbacks for the Richmond Read Center. At JTCC, Chester & Midlothian Campuses.

3/2/2010 6 - 8 PM: Essayist Phyllis Theroux presents her memoir The Journal Keeper. Free and open to the public. Limited free parking under the library. At The Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St, 804-692-3500.

3/4/2010 12 PM: Michael Kranish presents his book Flight from Monticello: Thomas Jefferson at War. Part of the Banner Lecture Series. Admission $5 Adults/$4 Seniors/$4 Children & Students/Free to VHS members. Free parking available. At The Virginia Historical Society, 428 N. Boulevard, 358-4901.

3/4/2010 8 PM: Richmond Noir. Featuring editors Andrew Blossom, Tom De Haven & Brian Castleberry, with contributors X.C. Atkins, Clay McLeod Chapman, Dennis Danvers, David L. Robbins & Howard Owen. At New York Deli, 2920 W Cary St.

3/5/2010 7 - 9 PM: "Richmond Writer's Series." Wayne Dementi and Brooks Smith discuss Songlines of Richmond. At Richmond Public Library, Main Branch, 101 E. Franklin St, 804-649-0083.

3/6/2010: 3 - 5 PM: Langhorne Gibson, Jr. signs his memoir For the Love of Greenwood. At Book People, 536 Granite Avenue, 804-288-4346.

3/6/2010 5 PM & 8 PM: SlamRichmond's Poetry Slam Workshop and Open Mike. At Artspace Gallery, 31 E 3rd St, 804-232-6464.

3/7/2010 3 - 5 PM: "Book Swap." Meet, greet and talk books with fellow book lovers. At Book People, 536 Granite Avenue, 804-288-4346.

3/8/2010 7 - 9 PM:The Richmond Playwright's Forum meets monthly at the Barksdale Theatre Willow Lawn conference room. Members share works and discuss playwriting. RPF is open to all interested persons, and welcomes your participation as voice actors or active listeners. For more information, contact Margie Langston at margie.langston@yahoo.com.

Send Us Your News, Send Us Your Events

Send us something concisely written (no more than 150 words) that gives us the basics your English teacher wanted from you: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE. Don't forget dates, times, cost (if applicable) or contact information, and include any Web URL. Send it along to: word@jamesriverwriters.org.

For events and calendar listings, see above paragraph, and send as far in advance as possible, but at least two weeks prior to the event, to: calendar@jamesriverwriters.org

For general inquiries and information, e-mail Anne@jamesriverwriters.org

Get Your Word On is produced twice monthly by James River Writers. Cathy Allen edits and maintains the calendar.

$10,000 For 10,000 Books in 2010

2010-02-04T07:42:00.002-05:00

Books on Wheels Pledges to Donate

10,000 books in 2010!

DONATE!

Books on Wheels is very happy to have a space to call home located at 302 W. Brookland Park Blvd. Richmond, VA 23222. With this new addition to our organization, we will be able to reach more people, offer volunteers opportunities to help with our daily operations, and organize ourselves in order to grow and do a better job at providing free books and bicycle repair to the public. Our Spring/Summer 2010 season is approaching fast, and in preparing for a busy season, we want to make sure we can do the most good in our communities as possible.

Since Books on Wheels is a publicly supported non-profit organization, we rely on the generous donations from individuals like you in keeping us literally running. So, we are launching a campaign to raise $10,000 to provide 10,000 books during 2010. For each dollar donated, you are guaranteeing that a child in need is getting a new or gently used book from Books on Wheels.

DONATE NOW!

We are asking that everyone please donate to our safe, online fundraising sites NETWORK FOR GOOD Or PAY PAL.

And, as always, you can visit our Donate Page on our website for more details.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Please visit our website to see more about our donation campaign and we will keep you updated about the progress throughout the year!

Sincerely,

Shelley Briggs, MSW
Co-founder, Books on Wheels
http:\\www.booksonwheels.org
mailto:booksonwheelsva@yahoo.co

African Dance @ The Richmond Public Library

2010-02-03T20:52:00.000-05:00

Bring the children to see

Kusun Ensemble

at the Main Library

Thursday, February 11, 2010

10:00 a.m.

The Kusun Ensemble is an extraordinary group of musicians and dancers based in Ghana, West Africa. Come join us and bring the children to this exciting event showcasing Ghana's most powerful music and dance ensemble fusing innovative rhythms with jazz and traditional Ghanaian instruments.

Don't miss this electrifying performance sponsored by the Historic Jackson Ward Association, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Free and open to the public.

Brought to you by the DNA [Downtown Neighborhood Association] on behalf of the Main Library.

The Upper East Side Big Band @ Bogarts

2010-02-03T09:48:00.003-05:00

(via email)
That's right! After a long hiatus, The Upper East Side Big Band is will be performing at the new Bogart's in the Fan next Friday, February 12th!
Keyboardist, Adrian Duke will be joining us on vocals. Also singing will be Allyson Mills-Steele and guitarist, Curtis Mills from The Mills Family Band. We'll be doing the oldies and pulling out the newbies.It'll be an iPod shuffle of Duke, Basie, Ray Charles, The Beatles (some Abbey Road), and Prince. Come on out, Richmond... we've missed ya!

- Samson

Pony Pasture Cleanup This Saturday

2010-02-01T09:53:00.000-05:00

A message from Maureen Egan about the next Riverside Drive Cleanup.

FOJRP's next clean-up of Riverside Drive will be Saturday, Feb. 6th at 9 a.m. If you'd like to help, meet at Pony Pasture parking lot and wear shoes you don't mind getting mucky, and bring gloves and trash bags. A winter clean-up gives us the chance to go after trash that is usually hidden in the spring and summer by greenery. It's a bit like a treasure hunt, really. An hour and a half usually takes care of things, but any amount of time you can give would be much appreciated. Please let Maureen Egan know if you're coming: maureenLegan@comcast.net Hope to see you there.

Moruza - What's in a Name?

2010-01-28T12:15:00.000-05:00

In this case, quite a lot. Moruza is a band, a name and a state of mind. Moruza is the family name of Leslie Moruza Dripps and the name of the band she leads and their self titled album. Moruza is also Puerto Rican slang for mish-mash, uncategorized, hither-thither, which is a good introduction to their music.

Moruza (the band and the album)is an evolutionary step from Leslie's solo debut album "All Eleven". It is a musical partnership between Leslie (piano and main vocals), Melissa Sunderland (violin and vocals), Brian Cruse (double bass), Kyleen Terrana (backing vocals) and Andy Blunt (percussion). The sound they create is one part pop, one part jazz and one part French cabaret.

Lonely Heart Road starts off with piano, drums and staccato violin tapping a musical question. The problem:

You don't feel so good today
How about this time next week
you'll feel better.
One foot Past the Other
toward One stepping Stone,
Two Back
You Try again ...

Then the chorus responds with a bit of hope:

Trudge on you Lonely heart Road
Lead on for a Single more Day
Go on you Lonely Heart Road
Off in the Distance the Sunrise Waits

building to a layered vocal sequence that lifts the heart. Hope, optimism and empathy abound in this song and are a consistent theme in Leslie's music, but the stories are not told with just lyrics and voice. Throughout Moruza the instruments take various parts in the discussion, sometimes agreeing, sometimes not. When they work out their differences the result is joyful crescendo. Joy plays a big part in this album, but so does humor along with a bit of melancholy.

Essentially an acoustic quartet, Moruza is capable of putting out a surprisingly dynamic sound. Near Miss, starts out almost orchestral and returns to this energetic theme reminding us that the disappointments in our life may just be preparing us for better things.

Near miss glad that it’s over
Near miss glad that you’re gone
One look over my shoulder
Making room for the right one

Psychic Say is a moody tune, asking the question,
Psychic say, what do you see? ... knowing that

All she says is what she sees
knows your type, she knows your needs
tell me tell me tell me please
what i already know

Bad Man counter poses an uptempo melody against a grim tale, but the combination works. There's a tricky ending that makes you wonder just what did happen to the "pretty little bride".

High above the river moat
pretty little bride, she watches close
bides her time and she’s no ghost

Butterfly Over the Freeway could be the most beautiful song on the album. It takes you on a musical day dream with the smallest of creatures. Butterfly over the freeway
fluttering over the fray
carry me over the distance
carry me all of the way

Leslie's soft voice, the delicate melodies, violin and piano all work together. The drums add just the right touch. The soaring harmonies will pierce your heart. Moruza changes moods throughout, moving from the wistful Psychic Say to the optimistic anthem Over The Wall, which will leave you smiling. Either way Moruza takes the light touch and invites you to listen again and again. At heart, this is a singer songwriter showcase for Leslie. There are times where she carries the music with her voice and piano, but she works so well with her band mates that the whole is always greater than its parts. She never tires of telling the worth of living and that a strength greater than ourselves that can pull us through. A careful listen reveals the source of that strength.

I know a power soft enough
It soothes the sharpest stake
I know justice fair enough
I'll give it my whole heart to break

She invites us to find that faith for ourselves. You may not escape life's difficulties, but with equal parts optimism, hope and humor, you can find your way through it.

When not tending her husband Daryl and one year old son Xander, Leslie spends her time rehearsing and directing City Singers, a youth choral group dedicated to "bringing together youth of the greater Richmond area in a joyful appreciation of their ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity."

Moruza will be holding their CD release party this Sunday, January 31st, at the Camel. To learn more about Moruza and listen to their music visit,

http://www.moruza.com/
http://www.myspace.com/moruzamusic

Lights Up @ CenterStage

2010-01-20T16:42:00.003-05:00

Lights Up: "CELEBRATING YOUTH AND THE ARTS AT CENTERSTAGE

Come celebrate a weekend of youth and the arts at the Genworth BrightLights Education Center at Richmond CenterStage. All programs and performances are free, but registration and tickets are required.

'Lights Up' presents over 30 workshops, master classes, lecture-demonstrations and live performances featuring the Resident Companies of Richmond CenterStage:

Richmond Symphony Orchestra
Richmond Ballet
African-American Repertory Theater
Richmond Shakespeare
Theater IV/Barksdale Theatre
Virginia Opera
SPARC (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community)
Elegba Folklore Society

The weekend also features the Latin Ballet of Virginia, Richmond Boys Choir and Friends of City Dance.

Genworth BrightLights Education Center
Richmond CenterStage
600 E. Grace Street,
Richmond, VA 23219.

FREE Family Festival and Open House - Saturday, January 23, 2010

12 to 5 p.m. – Education Workshops, Classes and Lecture–Demonstrations (Registration opens at 10:30 a.m. and continues throughout the day in the Carpenter Theatre Lobby. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.) Workshop Descriptions & Schedule

7 p.m. – 'Lights Up' Performance in the Carpenter Theatre featuring young performers of Resident Companies.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
3 p.m. – 'Lights Up' Performance in The Carpenter Theatre featuring young performers of Resident Companies."

Sunday Selections

2010-01-16T21:17:00.004-05:00

There are still some choice picks to choose from this Sunday.

The Richmond Symphony is performing Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exposition Sunday at 3:00 PM at Richmond CenterStage. Tickets range from $17.00 to $72.00.
The 17th Annual Freedom Classic takes place tomorrow at the Richmond Coliseum. Doors open at 4:00 pm. The Game between Virginia Union and Virginia State starts at 5:30. The Freedom Classic “Big Throw Down” Drum Line Competition will feature the best high school drum lines in the Richmond area!
City Singers is performing their Winter Concert at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church. The show is also at 3:00 PM and is free. To learn more about City Singers and their mission, visit the City Singers website.

Here's a sample of the City Singers performing the national anthem at a VCU basketball game.

The Fight For Edgar Allan Poe

2010-01-10T09:57:00.004-05:00

The Baltimore Sun reports Poe kin to have say on city with best claim to legacy.

Richmonder's have long wondered why Baltimore claims fame as the home of Edgar Allan Poe. Sure he spent his last days there and is buried there, but Richmond has a strong claim to Poe as the place where he was raised, married, wrote and lived half his life. The Poe Museum resides in Shockoe Bottom in the oldest building in the city.

From the Sun:

Surely, the great poet and author's surviving relatives should be able to decide, once and for all, whether Baltimore, Boston, New York, Philadelphia or Richmond has the greatest claim to their illustrious ancestor.

Then again, given that the Poe descendant who will be making the announcement is president of Richmond's Poe Museum - well, maybe next weekend's decision won't be as unbiased as it might seem.

Just the fact that Richmond is hosting this event says a lot. Great great nephew Harry Lee Poe states:

"We have to think about Richmond, where he spent half his life. He always said that he was a Virginian, he identified himself that way"

The competition includes:

Boston, where he was born.
Charlottesville, where he attended the University of Virginia.
Richmond, where he spent his early years and returned to to be married and publish a literary journal.
New York City, where he lived for three years before his death.
Baltimore, where he lived for several years and is buried.

Poe was a literary wanderer and lived in many different cities. He is an iconic American writer who remains popular to this day. Whatever his relatives decide, Richmond can and should take pride in its Poe connections.

The Poe Museum is located in Shockoe Bottom at 1914-16 E. Main St Richmond, VA 23223.

There will be a 24 hour Birthday Bash this Saturday and a new film exhibit, "Poe Goes To The Movies".

Gardenfest Goes BOGO

2010-01-09T11:08:00.001-05:00

Photo by Trevor Wrayton

Admission to the Gardenfest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is now Buy One Get One free. General Admission: $10 adults; $9 seniors age 55+; $6 children (ages 3 - 12); free for children under age 3. Garden Members: $5 adults; $4 child on membership (ages 3 - 18); The Gardenfest runs through Monday so you still have three more chances to go. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Support Your Local Falcon Cam

2010-01-09T08:33:00.004-05:00

This note arrived from Steven Living:

"We have recently seen falcons on some of the favorite perches in the downtown area - so it seems that our pair is still in the vicinity. Hard to say what the future holds for the young - the first year of life is tough. It is unlikely that they will remain in the immediate area but they may stay within the region as a whole. We have had banded birds from this nest found breeding in both Maryland and Pennsylvania"

Stephen Living
Watchable Wildlife Biologist
Virginia Dept. of Game & Inland Fisheries

This last breeding season was a great success after a bumpy start. All three hatchlings fledged the nest successfully. ATR would like to thank Stephen, the VGIF and all involved who helped bridge the gap between city and wilderness. To us these birds are a symbol for the city and something we should take pride in. We look forward to another successful nest this coming spring.

The VGIF maintains several wildlife cams, including an Eagle Cam, Shad Cam, and our very own Falcon Cam. The Falcon Cam is still on and you can read all the blog entries going back two years. It makes quite a story and there are lots of great pictures. If you have any pictures, sightings or falcon stories you would like to share, send them to allthingsrichmond@live.com.

If you would like to support these cams you can click on the following links.

Butterfly Is Free

2010-01-08T12:07:00.002-05:00

From Gallery Twenty-Four Seven

A new addition to Gallery 24-7.

and a message from the artist.

From Gallery Twenty-Four Seven

Christmas at The Jefferson

2009-12-24T07:07:00.001-05:00

The Jefferson Hotel is a Richmond landmark and instituion. It is one of 27 American hotels with Mobil Five Star and AAA Five Diamond Hotel ratings. It is accompanied by Lemaire, a Five Diamond Restaurant rated as on of the top three new restaurant's in America after a recent makeover. Every year The Jefferson puts on the Christmas Ritz featuring the best Christmas tree in the city.

From Christmas at The Jefferson

The Gardenfest of Snow

2009-12-23T10:18:00.016-05:00

Photo by Lisa Bainbridge

The Gardenfest of Lights continues at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, this year with a twist. The grounds have been carpeted with snow, transforming it into a magical wonderland. Tonight will feature a concert in the Children's Garden by Susan Greenbaum at no additional charge.

Photo by Trevor Wrayton

Photo by Trevor Wrayton

The Moongate by Don Williamson

Photo by Jay Paul

Anyone who purchases a new family membership ($85) will not only get free admission to the Garden all year for 2 adults (and up to 6 kids), but will also get 2 free tickets to GardenFest, a great last minute holiday gift. Gardenfest of Lights will continue daily through January 11th, but will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

General Admission: $10 adults; $9 seniors age 55+; $6 children (ages 3 - 12); free for children under age 3. Garden Members: $5 adults; $4 child on membership (ages 3 - 18); FREE for Members on Member Nights. We have one remaining member night on Monday, January 11. Learn more. lewisginter.org/events/
Purchase GardenFest tickets 1) at admissions desks in the Visitors Center (daily 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. til Jan. 11; closed Dec. 24 & 25); 2) online; or 3) by calling 1-800-594-TIXX. Membership information required for member pricing. Tickets ordered online and by phone incur nominal service charge with pick up at "Will Call" in the Visitors Center.

Have You Had Your Beignet Today?

2009-12-23T04:57:00.002-05:00

Wake up! It's Beignet Day!
7:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Best beignets this side of New Orleans.
4th & Grace behind the RTD.

Gumbo, Catfish, Jumbalaya, Po-Boys and more.
(804) 612-9066

Chef Nate will be glad you came.

Read the entire Powdered Sugar saga here (From bottom to top)

It Is a Wonderful Life

2009-12-22T03:16:00.000-05:00

One man's life touches so many others, when he's not there it leaves an awfully big hole.

If you have any doubts about this, then you need to scoot over to the world's best movie theater, The Byrd, and take this chance to see IAWL the way movies were meant to be watched, in movie palaces with popcorn, friends and neighbors. If you really want to be nostalgic you will dress up in a suit and tie or put on a nice (old fashioned) dress. It's only been in the last 40 years or so that people went to either a baseball game or a movie theater in casual clothes. Oh yes, be sure to wear a hat and no monkey business in the balcony.

The Byrd Theater

Showtimes
Thursday, December 24, 2009
7:15pm
With Lin Lunde at the Mighty Wurlitzer
featuring the Byrd Christmas Sing-A-Long

Friday, December 25, 2009
7:15 & 9:45pm
With Bob Gulledge at the Mighty Wurlitzer,
Featuring the Byrd Christmas Sing-A-Long

Sentinals of Snow

2009-12-21T07:10:00.002-05:00

Statues keep watch over the Capitol Grounds.

Senator Harry Byrd

Can't remember precisely who this is.

Stonewall Jackson

There are sever other statues I didn't get including Edgar Allen Poe. Also not pictured here are the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial which I featured earlier and the George Washington monument which will be featured later.

From Capital Square visitor's guide:

"On the grounds north of the Capitol are bronze statues of former Virginia Governor and U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr.; William "Extra Billy" Smith, Governor of Virginia and Confederate Brigadier General; Confederate Major General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson; and Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire, a respected Southern surgeon. In the southwest corner of the square near the Bell Tower is a seated statue of Edgar Allan Poe, who grew up in Richmond and returned years later to edit The Southern Literary Messenger."

Doors, Walls and Bridges

2009-12-20T14:47:00.008-05:00

The Civil Rights Memorial at the Virginia Capitol

Snowstorm In Library Park

2009-12-19T07:46:00.002-05:00

The next day.

Gallery 24-7

2009-12-18T15:46:00.002-05:00

A guerilla artist has posted new pieces at the new dubbed Gallery 24-7 on the 200 block of W. Grace. This artist(s) has previously displayed his work on Grace and Broad streets, but after a fairly long run the art disappeared. These are all whimsical and thought provoking pieces that add life and color to the abandoned storefront where they are displayed. The anonymous artist does not sign his work. I hope he gets some vicarious pleasure from his effort. I hope to see his work popping up at other locations downtown.

If you want to see the originals, they are located on the boarded up storefront of the old Romanza Pizzeria.

Christmas Spirit at Christian-Lorraine

2009-12-15T08:28:00.002-05:00

Oriental Rug store Christian-Lorraine is one of the few stores in downtown Richmond that maintains the holiday tradition of seasonal window displays. It's one of the few bits of grassroots holiday spirit remaining. If there was an award I would give it to them. It's these small creative displays that really add to the Christmas spirit. There is still a lot of small business left downtown. Wouldn't it be great if the vast majority went all out and dressed up for the holidays. That's the kind of spirit festive that could turn around people's attitude about downtown and bring people back to the kind of strolling and people watching that used to be part of the Christmas tradition.

The Nutcracker @ CenterStage

2009-12-13T21:40:00.005-05:00

The Richmond Ballet is halfway through its run of the Nutcracker. There are still nine shows left between now and Christmas. This is a chance to enjoy a holiday tradition in grand fashion as CenterStage sparks the revival of downtown Richmond.

Review from today's Times Dispatch:

The Richmond Ballet's "The Nutcracker" ballet feels right at home in the
newly renovated Carpenter Theatre. ...
A significant difference is that the ... new space brings the audience closer to the action -- even the farthest balcony seats ..
There are new partnering and pairings this year. Alison Dubsky, in her first year with the Richmond Ballet after rising to soloist with the Sarasota Ballet, danced the coveted role of the Sugarplum Fairy on Saturday evening. In the beautiful pas de deux for the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier, the company's resident artist, Igor Antonov, was a devoted and attentive partner. That seemed to make Dubsky sure and secure when she leapt onto his shoulder.

Antonov appeared to partner effortlessly. His variation, which was unhurried and not at all ostentatious, built steadily to the coda. Dubsky, with her fairy wings attached and accompanied by the familiar Tchaikovsky tinkling melody, was strong but delicate in her variation. The couple appeared well-matched, and their timing was above reproach.

Richmond CenterStage
Carpenter Theater
600 E. Grace St.
Richmond, VA 23219
Map

Thursday, Dec. 17, 7:00pm
Friday, Dec. 18, 7:00 pm
Saturday Dec. 19, 2:00 pm
Saturday Dec. 19, 7:00 pm
Sunday Dec. 20, 1:00 pm
Sunday Dec. 20, 4:30 pm
Monday Dec. 21, 2:00 pm
Tuesday Dec. 22, 2:00 pm
Wednesday Dec. 23, 2:00 pm

Make a day of it and take in lunch or dinner at some of the new restaurants that have popped up downtown.

Shockoe Slip Open House - Tonight

2009-12-11T12:46:00.004-05:00

From the Open House Facebook Page.

Open House Block Party!

Come to our first annual Shockoe Slip Open House Block Party charity event December 10th and 11th for a barrage of amazing specials and deals and tons of fun! Get an edge on your holiday shopping, take advantage of drink and dinner specials, pet some puppies for adoption, warm up with hot cider, sing some Karaoke, dance to hot holiday music and be among friends all while helping Shockoe Slip raise funds for charities!

Food and drink specials as well as prizes will be available at many businesses. This is a good opportunity to take in the holiday lights and enjoy some great deals in one of Richmond's most historic locations.

*SEGWAY OF RICHMOND* is going to host dogs and puppies from the SPCA for adoption and raffling off a Segway Tour of Richmond to benefit the Richmond SPCA.
*FRAME NATION* will be collecting **URGENTLY NEEDED**
Small to large bags of dry cat/dog food (unopened only)
Small to large cans of wet cat/dog food (unopened only)
Coupons for/samples of dog and cat food for Richmond SPCA.

Toys for Tots will have drop offs at The Berkley Hotel and Helium.

Jingle on the James

2009-12-11T11:03:00.006-05:00

A riverfront festival of fine arts & crafts, music and dining.

Jingle on the James at Rocketts Landing

Saturday, December 12th - Noon to 9pm
Sunday, December 13th - Noon to 5pm
Parade of Lights, Saturday at 5:30 - 6:00pm

To see more details and RSVP, visit the :
Jingle on the James Facebook page

Second Friday Sampler @ The Visual Art Center.

2009-12-11T10:42:00.002-05:00

Visarts invited you to "Second Friday Sampler.

From the Visarts Facebook Page:

Stop by for Second Friday Sampler, our free monthly program which offers a two-hour, hands-on preview of what it’s like to take a class at VisArts. Please arrive early, as spots fill up quickly.

This Friday, choose from:

Photograms: Learn a little bit about the black and white developing process by creating fun photograms in the darkroom. Bring in some small interesting items (think: keys, necklaces, stones, lace, things that are textural and have different transparencies) and experiment with developing!

Bookbinding: Learn the Coptic Stitch, a fun bookbinding stitch that creates books that will lay open flat at any page. Great for making sketchbooks and journals!

December 11 at 7:00pm to 9:00pm

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond
1812 West Main Street
Richmond, VA 23220-4520
(804) 353-0094

River City Christmas Lights

2009-12-05T11:36:00.004-05:00

River City Christmas Lights
Originally uploaded by digirebelva

Richmond renewed its tradition of lighting up downtown for Christmas last night. The 25th annual Grand Illumination took place last night at the James Center in perfect Christmas weather. See the RTD for video and details.

Amahl and the Night Visitors

2009-12-05T10:47:00.002-05:00

Free holiday performance set for Dec. 6 at Landmark

The Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will present its annual holiday gift to the city, its production of “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Landmark Theater.

The musical tells the story of the mischievous shepherd boy Amahl and his mother, whose lives are changed forever after meeting three kings. It’s a heartwarming and humorous story that will charm and delight the entire family.

This is the department’s 48th year of offering this free holiday musical, which with its all-volunteer cast, has become a Richmond tradition.

The performance is free and no reservations are required.

Walter Witschey and The Temples of Doom

2009-09-10T08:27:00.001-04:00

Not actually Walter Witschey

Have you ever wanted to be an armchair Indiana Jones, discovering lost cities in the jungle? Explore the ancient ruins of Mesoamerica with Walter Witschey, Maya archaeologist, professor of anthropology at Longwood University, and director emeritus of the Science Museum of Virginia. In this class, Dr. Witschey will share his ongoing research from numerous visits to Mesoamerica and with modern remote-sense data. He will also present new findings in deciphering the ancient Maya script that, until now, has hidden from us the life and times of the Maya kings and dynasties.$25/VHS members; $30/nonmembers

September 17th

5:30-7:00 pm

Virginia Historical Society
428 North Boulevard,
Richmond, Virginia 23220

Phone:
804.358.4901

Hours:
Tuesday-Saturday 10-5
Sunday 1-5 (galleries & shop only)

The Grand Opening of Richmond CenterStage

2009-09-09T01:15:00.000-04:00

Host:
Richmond CenterStage
Type:
Music/Arts - Opening
Network:
Global
Date:
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Time:
4:00pm - 4:30pm
Location:
Grace Street, between 6th and 7th streets
Email:
www.richmondcenterstage.com
Description
Hope everyone can make it! Sure to be an awesome evening. The Ribbon Cutting will take place at 4 PM on the sidewalk, with performances by Richmond's nine resident companies at 8PM. Restaurants, nightlife and arts galleries along Broad Street and downtown should keep you busy in the meantime.

Downtown Dinners

2009-08-25T23:16:00.005-04:00

Deveron Timberlake takes a look at the dining options near CenterStage.

"In general, the drinking is better than the eating in the short radius from CenterStage, but most everything is affordable and therefore more palatable. Here’s where to go now for before — and after — theater sloshing and noshing:"

Gibson’s Grill
700 E. Broad St., 644-2637
http://www.gibsonsgrill.com/
Café Rustica
414 E. Main St., 225-8811
Capital Ale House
623 E. Main St., 780-2537
http://www.capitalalehouse.com/
O’Neill’s Penny Lane Pub
421 E. Franklin St., 780-1682
http://www.pennylanepub.com/
T-Miller’s Sports Bar & Grill
500 E. Broad St. in the Marriott, 648-2255
http://www.tmillerssportsbar.com/
Coming Attraction
Pie is the newest in a local restaurant group that includes the Fan’s Si Tapas and downtown’s Bank and Vault. This Italian restaurant in the former Berry-Burk building, at 525 E. Grace St., is under construction with an anticipated late-fall opening.

This is only a partial list. Others that I can think of are:

Louisiana Flair (Open late from 10:00 AM to 3:00 AM Friday and Saturday)
322 E. Grace St 612-9066
Kenn-Tico Cuban Bar and Grill - Opening early October
2nd & Grace next to Chic Chapeau
LeMaire @ The Jefferson

Since you will most likely drive you could take in any of the great restaurants on Broad east of Belividere

The Belvidere at Broad
Tarrants Cafe
Tarrantino's Pizza
Twenty-Seven
Popkin's Tavern
Comfort

As the season picks up expect more restaurants to start opeing late. Downtown should soon be full of places to eat and stroll. Given enough traffic, may some of the many art galleries will extend their hours making downtown a true arts and entertainment district.

See the full coverage of CenterStage in this week's Style.

River District Canal Cruises

2009-08-19T16:13:00.010-04:00

Enjoy 40-minute historically narrated tours of the James River and Kanawha Canal along the historic Canal Walk. These covered boats accommodate up to 35 passengers and depart on the hour from the Turning Basin in downtown Richmond’s River District.

Richmond’s canals were first begun in 1789 after George Washington lobbied the General Assembly to proceed with his vision of a canal and turnpike system that would connect the harbors of the east to the trade and market opportunities in the west.

For more information call 804-788-6466 or 804-649-2800 or visit http://www.ventirerichmond.com/.

Canal Turning Basin - Dock and 14th Streets

$5 adults, $4 seniors & children 5-12,

Age 4 and under Free

Thursday-Saturday Noon-7pm,

Sunday Noon-5pm

Through September 27

Flown the Coop

2009-08-19T06:55:00.002-04:00

From the DGIF weblog:

All three have flown

"Following the first successful flight of the young male, the two juvenile females were somewhat more cautious. One of the females slowly scaled the roof line using a strand of holiday lights (the lights are unplugged) and finally reached the apex of the roof. The other perched on the box that houses the camera equipment. Both females practiced getting the wind under their wings for some time before finally taking flight. Both of the two females flew strongly and were able to gain altitude."

Read More...

Visual Arts Center Reception

2009-08-18T17:31:00.001-04:00

The 2009 Visual Arts Center of Richmond Faculty + Staff + Board Exhibition finishes with a closing reception on Friday, August 21, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., to which the public is invited.

This annual display of work by the Center’s talented array of teachers offers the community an opportunity to get to know the individual artists who make the Center a dynamic place. The show, entitled [work], also include entries submitted by several staff and board members who work as artists in addition to their professional roles. This exhibition remains on view through August 23, 2009. For more information, contact the Center at 804-353-0094 or visit the website at visarts.org.

Located at 1812 W. Main St. in Richmond’s Fan District, the Visual Arts Center of Richmond engages the community in the creative process through the visual arts. For more information, call 804-353-0094 or visit www.visarts.org online.

Opening Ceremonies

2009-08-17T23:12:00.002-04:00

From Stephen Living - Wildlife Biologist for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

"We have a number of volunteers with experience in Identifying birds - along with dgif staff experienced with handling raptors. While all of our "official volunteer" spots are filled you can still feel free to join us downtown in the area around Riverfront Plaza (951 East Bryd Street) tomorrow and Wednesday. You'll be able to ID DGIF staff by our bright orange hats and green polo shirts. Hopefully we will see the young birds fly well and need no assistance. In this case volunteers will help us track where the young birds perch so we can monitor them. Should the fledglings have any problems biologists will be on hand to intervene as necessary.

We'll be placing the door opening mechanism on at about 9:15am (give or take) the door will open 1-3 hours later and then the waiting begins. Our fledge watch effort will last until about 8 pm and start again at about 9 am on Wednesday through 8 - that evening."

Flight Preparations

2009-08-17T17:21:00.007-04:00

Looking more and more like adult birds, the three falcon chicks are almost fully fledged. This In years past DGIF biologists have taken the young birds to remote locations in the Blue Ridge mountains to hone their flight skills. Since the nesting pair have been so successful breeding here in Richmond, the chicks will be allowed to run the fledge downtown in hopes they will imprint on the city and return to start nests of their own.

The chicks are very active now. This may be the best and maybe last time to see them up close and personal.

From the DGIF website.

"Our three young falcons have grown quickly. Only a few scattered tufts of down remain and their juvenile plumage is almost fully grown in. Peregrine falcons typically fledge between 40-45 days after hatching.

The door-opener apparatus will be installed on the pen door on Tuesday morning, August 18th. This will mark 47 to 48 days since hatching for these falcons. The extra time ensures full feather development, and allows these birds to strengthen their flight muscles before attempting their first flights. The “apparatus” is comprised of a weight, bungee cords, and a plastic bottle of ice attached to the pen door. As the ice melts it releases the weight and the door is slowly pulled open by the bungee cords. Depending on the temperature on the release date, the door should open about 2-4 hours after the trigger is attached. We have used this method successfully for three years. Though the adults become aggressive when we attach the device, they quickly calm down after we leave. Past releases have gone very smoothly, with the chicks typically walking from the pen or flying to the ledge, surveying their surroundings for a few minutes or hours, and then taking successful first flights.
DGIF personnel and skilled volunteers will be stationed in the area surrounding the nest building. This will allow us to track the young birds’ first efforts and ensure that they are capable of sustained, controlled flight. This monitoring effort will continue until we are confident in the flight abilities of the fledglings. Should one of the fledglings encounter difficulty and end up on the ground, DGIF staff will recover the fledgling and either return it to the ledge or ensure prompt treatment and transportation to a licensed rehabilitation facility if necessary. "

An Invitation to a Wake

2009-08-16T06:04:00.002-04:00

I got this odd email the other day.

You are all invited to join me in mourning the voluntary, but permanent, expatriation of a painting that has always been too heavy to hang, but has appeared on numerous occasions below one's ordinary sightline. ...

It will sail out of Richmond toward an obscure New York State hamlet on August 27th, never to be seen (except THERE) again.

When you consider it was from sometime Richmond artist Brett Busang, it's not so odd. A casual reading of this email led me to believe that Brett was departing along with his painting.

I am clearly more broken up about this than any of you can ever be, so your collective function will be to feel my pain for a moment

Rather than mourn his departure, we celebrated an all too rare visit to Richmond and a chance to chat and critique. Brett's paintings are a historical record of our city as it was. Many of these locations no longer exist. I am moving his paintings back into feature rotation. He's been a good friend and fortunately we haven't seen the last of Brett Busang.

Here's a couple of paintings that were posted previously. Brett's promised to provide more. I look forward to sharing them here.

Bridges Raised and Bridges Fallen

Bridge Over the Kanawa Canal

Used by permission.
© Brett Busang

The 19th Down Home Family Reunion

2009-08-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

4:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Saturday August 15th
Abner Clay Park
Brook Rd. & Leigh St.

Free

The 19th Annual Down Home Family Reunion explores a full spectrum of music, dance, stories, food, shopping and enrichment in this Celebration of African American Folklife. It's a heritage festival that takes attendees on a folkloric journey from West Africa through the Caribbean and into America.

People in the park will revisit and participate in a variety of cultural traditions and Interactive Folkloric Demonstrations. Kentucky native Rosetta Lucas Quisenberry, has published four books showcasing her museum-quality collection of postcards, photographs and memorabilia and more.

Sponsored by the Elegba Folklore Society.

Richmond Folk Festival Needs Volunteers

2009-08-14T12:53:00.008-04:00

The premiere festival in Richmond is less than two months away and preparations are in full gear. It takes an army of volunteers to put this on and your help is more needed than ever. This is an opportunity to act together as one community. Volunteers come from city, county and country. When you help you help create a greater Richmond that is not divided by politics or boundaries. You will make new friends and feel a sense of pride and ownership you will carry with you. Last years festival was the best ever and with your help we will equal and surpass it. There are all kinds of ways you can help, from working on the bucket brigade to helping build the stages.

If you have never been, the Richmond Folk Festival takes place downtown along the James River. It is one of the most spectacular festival sights in the country. You will wander around Civil War sites and a canal dating back two centuries. There is a certain magic in the air as you walk the grounds and mingle with your fellow Richmonders. They are three days of celebration and music worth remembering.

Visit the Richmond Folk Festival website for volunteer and event information.

A Falcon Sighting

2009-08-12T22:27:00.005-04:00

I walked out my front door this afternoon to a unfamiliar screech. I looked up to find a very upset starling harassing a very blase' falcon sitting on top of the RMA garage on 2nd Street. I mistook it for a hawk at first, but it was much smaller and sleeker. It had to be a falcon. It stood motionless for a good five minutes, long enough for me to get my camera and snap a couple pics. I'm so glad to have seen one in person, my first sighting.

Oh for a long lens...

Another Facelift on Grace Street

2009-08-12T09:47:00.004-04:00

This time on the northeast corner of 3rd and Grace. Currently occupied by a salon which is moving, the exterior of the building is being restored in preperation for rental. The interior will be built leases are signed. The upper floors may be converted into apartments.

Summer Sizzle Hike - Cancelled

2009-08-11T06:15:00.002-04:00

Do you want to see our urban wilderness up close in personal?

Do you want to escape from the everyday, get lost along the river and see just how beautiful and remote the James River can be?

You can do this on Saturday, August 15th. This challenging hike takes you on a scenic 10 mile loop through woods and abandoned quarries along both sides of the river.

Remarkably this all takes place within the city limits of Richmond. No other city in America can boast such a spectacular urban park. This hike will challenge you and show you the river in a new way. If you are game, then call the James River Park hotline for time and place. Reservations are encouraged.

Fee: $5
Date: Saturday, August 15th
Bring water, lunch and hiking shoes
Sponsor: James River Park
804 646-8911

PARADISE PARK MURAL OPENING

2009-08-07T11:25:00.013-04:00

Come Celebrate
We made a mural

SAT. AUG 8th
11:30am – 2:00pm
FREE / FUN FOR ALL AGES

NO BS BRASS BAND Parade
March time line up 12:15pm (in the park)

Visual Arts Center craft table – Make a shaker
Meet their Giant Parade puppet
Art on Wheels mobile printing press
Dance - Eat - March - Create
Paradise Park is a Fan Pocket Park
Bordered by Grove, Floyd, Allen & Vine
(entrance through alleys on N. Vine or N. Allen)

More info:

Johnny Z Fest @ Joe's Inn

2009-08-07T11:17:00.000-04:00

From Art 180

A celebration of art, music and community.

Fun for the whole Family!

Saturday, August 8th
12pm-5pm

200 Block of Shields Ave.
(Between Grove & Hanover)

A block party featuring the Bizarre Market, live music & WRIR DJ's, children's activities, raffle drawings, and a mobile mural unveiling by young artists from St. Andrew's School. In memory of our friend, Jonathan Zanin.

Sponsored by Art 180

ATR Weekend Picks

2009-08-06T19:41:00.004-04:00

Friday August 7th

6pm – 10pm
First Friday -
On and Off Broad Street -
Downtown Richmond
1pm – 2pm
Lions in the Library
Maymont Mansion
8:30pm – 11pm
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Dogwood Dell

Saturday August 8th

10am – 4pm
Children's Museum
Moonbounce Mania -
2626 W. Broad St
2pm – 3pm
An Afternoon with Eliza Poe
St. John's Church -
2401 W. Broad St
8pm – 10pm
"Thoroughly Modern Millie"
Empire Theatre
114 W. Broad St

Sunday August 9th

1pm – 3pm
2009 Summer Reenactment Series
St John's Episcopal Church
3pm – 5pm
VMFA Summer Interlude Series
Bon Air Presbyterian Church
9201 W. Huguenot Road
6pm – 8pm
Music in the Park
Forest Hill Park
42nd St. & New Kent Ave

Have a fun and safe weekend. Send in your tips and events to: allthingsrichmond@live.com.

First Friday - This Friday

2009-08-06T12:30:00.004-04:00

From Curated Culture:

FIRST FRIDAYS VENUE HIGHLIGHTS:

Richmond’s First Fridays doesn’t take a break just because it’s a little hot outside. August is a great time to experience the Art Walk, especially during the cycle of a Full Moon! You’ll find thought-provoking exhibitions, unique shopping, delicious dining, live music, as well as the unexpected performance or two. Visit Downtown Richmond and support your local creative community and our local economy!
Stay Cool!
Curated Culture

FIRST FRIDAYS VENUE HIGHLIGHTS:

From Morning to Night: Domestic Service in the Gilded Age South
Quilting Traditions for a New Time
Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia
00 Clay Street The Black History Museum invites you to the opening reception of two new exhibitions that explore the nature of African American domestic work as well as its public and private dimensions.
The exhibitions open on First Fridays August 7, 2009 with a reception from 6:00-8:30 pm, and is free and open to the public.
Poe's Playground & Live Music by the Connor Thompson Jazz Guitar Duo
Linden Row Inn
100 East Franklin Street
Poe's Playground is a satellite exhibition at the Linden Row Inn presented by 1708 Gallery. Linden Row’s lovely outdoor courtyard is the perfect spot to meet friends or make new ones during First Fridays. On August 7, enjoy live jazz by the Connor Thompson Jazz Guitar Duo performing between 6-11pm. Grab a glass of wine or cold beer from their cash bar and make a night of it under the coming full moon!

Click map to download.

Experience something new. Buy more art or start a collection. Bring someone new with you to First Fridays. Visit an Artist Talk. Make it an evening. Introduce art to a youngster. Laugh, love, learn, listen.

Thc Carytown Watermelon Festival

2009-08-06T05:56:00.000-04:00

One of the biggest bashes of the year takes place this Sunday in Carytown. One of two times a year, Cary St. will be blocked off from end to end and vendors, visitors and community groups will take over the street. Don't worry about the heat, there will be and endless supply of watermelon available along with dozens of different types of food and drink. This is a time to celebrate summer, Richmond and the wonderful collection of shops we call Carytown.

Go here for festival information.

Here for a map and directions.

Lots of Falcon News

2009-08-05T11:42:00.012-04:00

There has been a lot of news and some adventure from the DGIF Falcon Blog in the past three weeks. The chicks are growing fast and fledging out and moving out of the nest. One even took an adventurous leap or fall onto the Manchester Bridge. Somehow it survived unharmed. All this shows that raising falcon chick on a 22 story ledge is not an easy trick. Here are some excerpts from the blog.

Monday, July 27th:

Banding: Both falcon parents were defensive of the ledge although they often took breaks, perching and keeping a close eye on all personnel involved All three chicks appeared well-fed and generally healthy. No external parasites were noted. The chicks were weighed and measured. The measurements revealed that we have two females and a male this year. The male's feather development indicates that he is the eldest of the three.

Vital Statistics
Male USFWS Band #1126-11828 - Aux. Band 19/AB - Weight:627 grams
Female USFWS Band #1807-65007 - Aux. Band 02/AD - Weight: 848 grams
Female USFWS Band #1807-65008 - Aux. Band 03/AD - Weight: 883grams

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Walkabout? Some have expressed concern that the male chick (Band 19/AB) has not been seen on the camera since late Monday. As the chicks have become more mobile the full ledge has become available to them. The picture below should give an idea as to what we can and can't see on the camera.Only about 30 feet of the ledge are visible on the Falcon Cam. The remaining ledge comprises approximately 110 feet and is fully accessible to the chicks. The adults are also able to access the full ledge and will feed the chicks regardless of where they are.

A local falcon watcher with a vantage point from a nearby office building has made a positive sighting of our wandering chick. The young male was seen perched atop the parapet (raised edge of the ledge) at the farthest point possible from the nest box.
As we suspected the young bird has simply taken advantage of the spacious ledge to explore its surroundings. The observer noted at least one of the parents attending to the young male. Given the fact that his sisters are so much larger then he - remaining on his own might offer some relief in competing for food. Should he choose to, he'll be able to make his way back to the nest box.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

A Close Call: On the afternoon of Fri, July 31st, a DGIF biologist responded to a call of a grounded osprey chick in downtown Richmond. The caller reported having shooed the bird from the Manchester Bridge, where cars were swerving to avoid hitting it, onto the adjacent grassy lawn of the Federal Reserve Building. The Manchester Bridge sits between the Riverfront Plaza, where Richmond's peregrine falcon pair have nested this year, and the Federal Reserve Building. Upon arrival at the scene, the biologist was surprised to see that the ‘osprey’ chick was none other than the banded male peregrine falcon chick. This chick was known to have been spending time on the parapet of the ledge of the Riverfront Plaza and had evidently fallen or been swept off the ledge by a gust of wind. Luckily, the bird was unharmed and was returned to the Riverfront Plaza ledge shortly thereafter.

Susan Greenbaum - Library Park

2009-08-05T05:22:00.000-04:00

Bring your lunch and the kids and join us for our annual summer concert by local favorite singer-songwriter Susan Greenbaum. Known for her meaningful lyrics and pleasing harmonies, Susan draws enthusiastic audiences of all ages.

Sponsored by Friends of the Richmond Public Library.
Library Park is located on the corner of Second and East Main Streets.

Thursday, Aug 6
12:00p to 1:00p
Richmond Main Public Library,
101 E. Franklin St.,
Richmond, VA, 23219

Poe, The Man, The Myth and The Monster

2009-08-03T21:48:00.004-04:00

Edgar Allen Poe has been scaring and entertaining people for over a century. If you ever wanted to learn more about Mr. Poe, now is the time. Poe, Man, Myth and Monster opened on July 20th at The Library of Virginia in celebration of his 200th birthday.

From the Library of Virginia press release:

"Who is Edgar Allan Poe? He has his own action figure and comic book. He has appeared in film, television, and other people’s novels. He is America’s first internationally influential author, the inventor of the modern detective story, a contributor to the genre of science fiction, author of some of the most thoughtful and piercing literary criticism ever written, a lyric poet, an amateur scientist, and inventor of nearly 1,000 new words. (Think tintinnabulation.) Poe’s influence on other authors is incalculable."

This exhibition peels away the myth and tries to find the real man. There is something for all ages including three interactive stations, foriegn movies posters and original manuscripts. The exhibition goes on through December 3rd, but during these muggy days the LOV provides cool escape from the heat. There is free parking available in the underground garage. Click here for directions and a map.

A Day Late ...

2009-08-02T09:46:00.007-04:00

I posted this last minute bulletin a day late. So DON'T go tonight, but DO support Richmond Artist and First Friday. I am sure Christina would be glad to take your donations if you want to help these two Richmond artists in need. Contact her via curatedculture@comcast.net.

This event is BYOB and potluck. Benefits go to two dedicated Richmond artists, Marian Hollowell and Theodora Merrey, who have breast cancer and no health insurance.

From the art6 blog

"Rattlemouth is an exhilarating quartet from Richmond, Virginia ... their music is lush, intricate, exotic, and irresistibly danceable, featuring original compositions and arrangements of music from around the world. Rattlemouth has advanced to become Richmond’s pre-eminent eclectic and world music based ensemble”

6:30 pm - Doors open and potluck begins
7:30 pm - Rattlemouth performs

Art 6
6 East Broad St.
Richmond, VA
$10 at the door

Magic Skies - Friday Night

2009-08-02T08:29:00.004-04:00

The late afternoon thunderstorms that have come daily this summer sometimes create a magic canvas for the sun to paint on. When the sky is just right, the effect is otherworldly. These were snapped at a stop light at Floyd and Boulevard with me chomping at the bit to get out of traffic. The magic doesn't last long, but I managed to grab these few before the light faded.

Fun on Franklin

2009-08-01T18:19:00.004-04:00

The Friends of the Richmond Public Library put on a street party in my front yard today. How nice to see Franklin Street used for something other than a parking lot on a Saturday. This is the kind of street life that Richmond needs. Kids, parents, music, moonwalking and free food. Hats off to the Friends for throwing such a great party and putting one of Richmond's great venues on the front page for a day.

The FLTIM Steel Orchestra

Faith Life Tabernacle
Richmond Public Library

Send in the Clowns

2009-08-01T10:17:00.003-04:00

International Clowns week begins tomorrow. Richmond based Virginia Alley #3 of the Clowns of America will be celebrating at the Chesterfield Towne Center on Sunday at 3:30 PM. There will be face painting, baloon sculptures and a lot of smiles. They clowns, when they are not at their day jobs, clown around at nursing homes and hospital cheering up residents and patients.

Read the entire story in the Richmond Times Dispatch.

ATR Weekend Calendar 7/31/09

2009-07-31T13:39:00.002-04:00

Friday July 31st

Virginia Historical Society - Free Admission - 428 N. Boulevard
River District Canal Cruises - Canal Turning Basin 14th and Dock St
10am – 11:30am "Highlights of Hollywood Cemetery” Daily Walking Tours - Valentine Richmond History Center,
10am – 4pm RO White Water Rafting - James River Park
11am–1pm Megan Hicks –Storytelling and Origami 11 am - Dogwood Dell-Ha Penny Stage
6:30pm – 10pm Fridays At Sunset - Kanawa Plaza
7pm – 9pm 'Summer Speakeasy' by Sugar Shack Burlesque! @ Firehouse Theatre
7:30pm – 10:30pm Bach Concert - Tabernacle Baptist Church - Grove and Meadow
8pm – 10pm Richmond Shakespeare Festival: Hamlet - 4305 Sulgrave Road
8pm – 10pm "Thoroughly Modern Millie" @ Empire Theatre - 114 W. Broad St.
8pm – 10pm "Driving Miss Daisy" @ Barksdale Theatre - 1601 Willow Lawn Dr.
8:30pm – 11pm A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Dogwood Dell -

Saturday August 1st

Virginia Historical Society - Free Admission - 428 N. Boulevard
River District Canal Cruises - Canal Turning Basin 14th and Dock St
10am – 4pm RO White Water Rafting - James River Park
10am – 4pm Children's Museum Moonbounce Mania - 2626 W. Broad St.,
11am – 5pm Shockoe Chef Showdown @ Farmer's Market - 1700 E. Main St.,
2pm – 4pm "Driving Miss Daisy" @ Barksdale Theatre - 1601 Willow Lawn Dr.,
2pm – 5pm Tubing on the James - Wetlands
7pm – 9pm Richmond Kickers v. Real Maryland Monarchs - UR Stadium
8pm – 10pm "Driving Miss Daisy" @ Barksdale Theatre - 1601 Willow Lawn Dr.,
8pm – 10pm Richmond Shakespeare Festival: Hamlet - 4305 Sulgrave Road,
8pm – 10pm "Thoroughly Modern Millie" @ Empire Theatre - 114 W. Broad St.,
8:30pm – 11pm A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Dogwood Dell
9pm – 12am James "Saxmo" Gates @ Bogart's - 1903 West Cary St.

Sunday August 2

Virginia Historical Society - Free Admission - 428 N. Boulevard
River District Canal Cruises - Canal Turning Basin 14th and Dock St Richmond VA
10am – 4pm RO White Water Rafting - James River Park
12pm – 5pm Give What You Can Sundays @ Valentine History Center - 1015 E Clay St.
1pm – 3pm 2009 Summer Reenactment Series - St John's Episcopal Church
1pm – 11pm A Musical Celebration of the Life of Gary Gerloff - Cafe Diem in the Fan
2pm – 4pm "Thoroughly Modern Millie" @ Empire Theatre - 114 W. Broad St.
2pm – 4pm "Driving Miss Daisy" @ Barksdale Theatre - 1601 Willow Lawn Dr.
3pm – 5pm VMFA Summer Interlude Series - Bon Air Presbyterian Church, 9201 W. Huguenot Road.
4pm – 5:30pm Barefoot Puppets – "Trickster Tales" 4 pm - - Ha Penny Stage
8pm – 10pm Richmond Shakespeare Festival: Hamlet - 4305 Sulgrave Road,
8:30pm – 11pm A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Dogwood Dell

A Funny Thing Happened

2009-07-30T05:16:00.000-04:00

On The Way To The Forum. This classic Broadway comedy is playing this weekend at Dogwood. I've only ever seen the movie, which is hysterical if you are in the right frame of mine. These community theater productions are usually pretty good and these guys slave away for weeks to get it right, all for free.

You can't ask for a better way to spend the evening. At least I can't. This is my choice for the weekend. I love the Dell and all they do. One of my favorite things in Richmond.

Friday and Saturday night at Dogwood Dell @ 8:30 to 11:00 PM.

The Battle of the Crater

2009-07-29T06:11:00.001-04:00

Richmond is surrounded by historic battlefield sites from the Civil War, Cold Harbor, Seven Pines, Yellow Tavern, Malvern Hill, but in the closing days of the war the action shifted south to Petersburg where Union and Confederate forces dug in for 9 months of trench warfare. Grant extended his lines, Lee extended his line. The only difference, Grant had unlimited reinforcements, Lee had none. Both Lee and Grant tried to break this stalemate many times. Perhaps the most dramatic and terrible battle that took place was the Battle of the Crater.

For several weeks in June and July, Pennsyvania miners dug a tunnel under the Confederate lines. When completed it was packed with explosives. Specially troops trained for the attack were replaced at the last minute and the result was disaster. The explosion devestated Confederate lines and instead of entering the breach and spreading out, these new troops ran smack into the wall and piled up at the bottom of the crater. Thousands of these troops were slaughtered by Lee's soldiers as they rush back to the front and found there enemy helpless. Certain victory again was turned to defeat and the war continued another nine months.

This Saturday and Sunday, Petersburg National Battlefield will be remembering these events with special talks, living history programs and battle field tours. The remains of the crater and tunnel can still be seen. It is worth the trip down to Petersburg to see the battlefield. There are many of sites worth visiting nearby, such as City Point in Hopewell, where 150,000 Union forces were headquarted and Grant, Lincoln and Sherman plotted the end of the war. Petersburg Old Town has many restaurants, cafes and galleries to visit while you are there.

Petersburg National Battlefield NPS Site
City Point

Get driving directs using Google Maps.

View Larger Map

Grupo Fantasma at Plaza Bowl!

2009-07-28T16:15:00.004-04:00

Southside Richmond reports Grupo Fantasma is playing at the Plaza Bowl on Wednesday night. These guys are great and an awesome coup for Plaza Bowl. This is one of the top bands out of Austin, Texas and plays Latin Rock like nobody's business.

From Southside Richmond:

Southside Icon Plaza Bowl is gearing up for a great line up this week! Have you been to the Bowl of late? What a crazy but perfect combination of Duck Pin Bowling and Live Music.

Wednesday, July 29 - 8:00 PM

Grupo Fantasma - You danced to them at last year’s Richmond Folk Festival, now check out this Austin, Texas - Grammy nominated - band in your own backyard (well, bowling alley)."

See Southside Richmond for more.

Leslie Dripps - A Voice for Richmond

2009-07-27T16:27:00.004-04:00

Leslie has a special place in the heart of All Things Richmond. She has been a part of this website since its early days. I first saw her at Richmond International Speedway on a chilly morning entertain the shivering masses who showed up for the Richmond Heart Walk. I was taken immediately with her voice, her style and the heart that she has for Richmond. Give a listen and decide for yourself. If you like, come see her at The Camel. You'll be charmed too.

Leslie Dripps and her band Moruza performs at the Camel Tuesday night at 8:00 PM.
Learn more about Moruza by click on the banner at left.

The Camel
www.thecamel.org
1621 W Broad St
Richmond, VA 23220-2106
(804) 353-4901

A Beautiful Picture of Downtown

2009-07-27T05:32:00.000-04:00

From the U S News and World Report

The report is not all sweetness and light but it does contain this spectacular picture. The report is part of USN&WR Best Places series and contains a lot of information about the city and the metro area. It makes for interesting reading.

CenterStage Opening Night Tickets On Sale

2009-07-26T20:15:00.003-04:00

From the RTD, July 2, 2009

Tickets for the grand opening performances at Richmond CenterStage are now
on sale. The show, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. in the Carpenter Theatre, will include
a performance by each of CenterStage's nine producing resident companies.
Tickets range from $35 to $100 and can be purchased at Tickmaster (search for
"Carpenter Theatre").
The performers at the single-ticket show are:
African American Repertory Theatre (poetry readings celebrating Langston Hughes)
Elegba Folklore Society (performance of "Mandiani")
Richmond Ballet (performance of Stoner Winslett's "Windows IV")
Richmond Jazz Society
(octet of Virginia jazz musicians performing "Generations of Jazz")
Richmond Shakespeare Theater
(songs and sonnets by Shakespeare, with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra)
Richmond Symphony Orchestra
(Bernstein's overture from "Candide" and Shostakovich's "Festive Overture")
School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community
(a medley from "Les Misérables")
Theatre IV Barksdale
(excerpts from "High School Musical," "Thoroughly Modern Millie, "The Sound of Music" and others)
Virginia Opera (excerpts from "La Bohème").

The Boatman of The James

2009-07-25T06:04:00.002-04:00

Two centuries a ago, African American boatmen plied the dangerous waters of the James River. risking life and limb to move their masters goods. They became expert boatmen who were respected for their skills and courage. This sculpture on Brown's island is a testament to that courage and their place in Richmond history.

5 Faves

2009-07-24T05:16:00.000-04:00

What's an Azalea gives a list of it's 5 Fave Free Activities in Richmond VA.

Dog Park! Barker’s Field is great free fun for you and your pooch or you can just go oggle other people’s cutie pups.
Richmond’s Really Really Free Market ...

Visit What's An Azalea for the whole list.

The ATR Weekend Calendar (Early Edition)

2009-07-23T07:23:00.002-04:00

Thursday Jul 23rd

All Day

Virginia Historical Society - Free Admission - 428 N. Boulevard
River District Canal Cruises - Canal Turning Basin 14th and Dock St
Art Exhibits - Main Library 2nd & Franklin
10am – 11:30am "Highlights of Hollywood Cemetery” Daily Walking Tours - Valentine Richmond History Center,
10am – 4pm RO White Water Rafting - James River Park
12pm – 1pm Hatteras Island: Keeper of the Outer Banks - VA History Museum 428 North Boulevard, Richmond, Virginia
4pm – 5pm Young Writer's Club - Main Library 2nd & Franklin
6pm – 8pm B2B Band Acoustic Duo - Meadow Park - Meadow and Park Streets,
6pm – 8pm The Susan Greenbaum Band - Short Pump Town Center, July 23, from 6-8
6pm – 8pm Flowers After Five @ Lewis Ginter - 1800 Lakeside Ave.,
7pm – 12am Thursdays in Old Towne - Old Towne Civic Center, 136 River Street, Petersburg, VA
8pm – 11:30pm Doors Wide Open @ Sol Cafe - Aurora, 401 E. Grace St.,
9:30pm – 12am Sirsy at Poe's Pub - 2706 E Main Street,

Friday July 24th

All Day

Virginia Historical Society - Free Admission - 428 N. Boulevard
River District Canal Cruises - Canal Turning Basin 14th and Dock St
Art Exhibits - Main Library 2nd & Franklin
10am – 11:30am "Highlights of Hollywood Cemetery” Daily Walking Tours - Valentine Richmond History Center,
10am – 4pm RO White Water Rafting - James River Park
11am – 1pm SPARC "Once On This Island Jr." - Dogwood Dell - Maymont Park - Ha Penny Stage
6:30pm – 9:30pm Whiskey Rebellion @ The National - 708 E. Broad St.,
6:30pm – 10pm Fridays At Sunset - Kanawa Plaza
7:30pm – 9:30pm Guitar and Other Strings Series: Quatro na Bossa @ VCU - 922 Park Ave.,
8pm – 10pm An Evening with Steve Bassett @ Ashland Coffee & Tea - 100 N. Railroad Ave., Ashland, VA 23005
8:30pm – 10:30pm City Dance Theatre - Dogwood Dell - Maymont Park
8:30pm – 11pm 2009 Movie Night in the Park - Fonticello
8:30pm – 11pm Scoot-In Movie Night! - 217 W 7th Street

Saturday July 25th

All Day

Virginia Historical Society - Free Admission - 428 N. Boulevard
River District Canal Cruises - Canal Turning Basin 14th and Dock St
9:30am – 12pm Frogs' Eye Tour - James River Park Headquarters
10am – 4pm RO White Water Rafting - James River Park
1pm – 9pm Words and Music Festival - Dogwood Dell - Dogwood Dell - Maymont Park
2pm – 4pm Canal Boats and Cobblestones - 10th and E Cary St
2pm – 5pm Tubing on the James - Wetlands
8pm – 11pm Symphonic Pink Floyd - The Machine with a 40-piece Symphony @ The National - 708 E. Broad St.,

Sunday July 26th

All Day

River District Canal Cruises - Canal Turning Basin 14th and Dock St
10am – 4pm RO White Water Rafting - James River Park
1pm – 3pm 2009 Summer Reenactment Series - St John's Episcopal Church
7pm – 9pm God’s Image - Dogwood Dell - Maymont Park

Words and Music Festival - All Day July 25th

2009-07-23T05:59:00.003-04:00

Dogwood Dell - Byrd Park
1:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Free

Parks and Rec - Cultural Arts Division presents an all day festival in featuring storytelling, music, crafts and Dancing on Saturday @ from 1:00 pm - 10:00 pm. There will be crafts, face painting and story teling for the kids and music for the whole family all day long. So get off you duff, grab the kids and get down to the Dell, Fun will be had by all.

1:00 Crafts, face painting, etc.
2:00 All-Community Band
3:00 Story telling
3:30 Brass Quintet
4:30 European Wind Ensemble
5:30 Story telling
6:00 Original Dixieland Strutters
6:30 Richmond Concert Band
7:30 Story telling
8:00 Original Dixieland Strutters
8:30 Prime Time Swing -- dancing under the stars!

The Belvidere At Broad

2009-07-22T12:11:00.005-04:00

The Belvidere at Broad (506 W Broad St)

All Things Richmond is shocked that we missed this not so secret story since we pass that way at least six times a day. Here's the scoop.

From the RTD January 15, 2009:

is the creation of Owner David Hassen said the menu will be eclectic, with a strong vegetarian selection and frequent use of locally grown products.

Hassen is opening the restaurant -- his first -- because he had an interest in participating in the revitalization of Broad Street and wanted another dining option for First Fridays attendees.

"My wife and I used to live in the Fan and liked the casualness of those restaurants," Hassen said. "But we're not going with the typical bar food menu. Ours will lean more toward seafood and healthy food."

Richmond.com reports that B@B will have a soft opening on ------------*. In the meantime enjoy their photo gallery of the interior.
*I spoke with Eric over at B @ B and he anticipates opening in early August (contrary to the report in Richmond.com.

This just shows that in the midst of a down economy Jackson and Monroe Ward are coming on strong. Send your business tips to the ATR Mailbox. We'll try to keep up.

Books and Bikes for Books On Wheels

2009-07-22T05:56:00.001-04:00

I came across a bike after finishing my coffee at Crossroads last week. It was tagged with a "free bike" sign and not being one to pass up a deal, I threw on my rack and drove it home. A second look at this bike and I knew I had no use for it. I am happy with my reliable Giant and not looking for another hobby. I had to find another home for it and that home is Books On Wheels. They will put it to much better use than I would. I know that there are garages full of unused bikes out there doing nobody any good. Find a new home for your old bike and get some garage space back for your trouble. Read more about Books on Wheels below.

From the Books On Wheels website.

"Books on Wheels is non-profit organization that provides free books and free bicycle repair. As a mobile operation, Books on Wheels is able to travel to many different communities in Richmond and around the country.
Our services are available to anyone and everyone, yet we do have a concentration in working with at-risk youth in low-income neighborhoods.
Books on Wheels is dedicated to promoting literacy and maintaining healthy, active lifestyles, while providing much need resources to our communities that lack access to free books and bicycle education."

Shelly Briggs runs the bicycle side of things and Ward Tefft of Chop Suey fame takes care of the books. Currently operating out of a bus and they are looking for a space to establish a free bookstore and bicycle repair center. If you have space available or want to help in any other way, you can reach them at the email address below. They are always accepting gently used books and bicycles or bicycle parts. Donations can be dropped off at:

Chop Suey Tuey Books

2913 W. Cary St. (across the street from the Byrd Theater)

11-6 PM Monday-Saturday

1-6 PM Sundays

Little Mexico Takes on the Big Boys

2009-07-21T06:53:00.009-04:00

Chipotle and Panera have opened up at Laurel and Grace, but the Little Mexico Burrito Chop has one upped them both. The plucky local restaurant, part of the Mexico chain and sister store to Little Mexico on Cary, has taken up the challenge by putting in an express burrito spot of their own, serving freshly made burritos and tacos. To make sure you noticed, they painted the wall facing the chain restaurants a bright yellow green, with their logo looming over the parking lot. A small neon sign appears in their window say we're open for business. If you follow your nose you will find a steam table full of fresh toppings for your cooked to order, chicken, steak or vegetarian burrito. I haven't eaten there yet, but a quick inspection left me with an appetite and a desire to go back for lunch. National chains are fine when you have no other choices, but some of my money is walking right past Chipotle to this local chain that could. Let the food fight begin.

Little Mexico Burrito Chop‎ - map

308 N Laurel St
Richmond, VA‎
(804) 354-0841‎

Breast Cancer Benefit @ Art 6

2009-07-20T21:23:00.004-04:00

Read the whole story below. This is about the community showing it's heart. If you can help in any way, please do.

From Christina Newton, Director of Curated Culture:

Dear Friends,

I hope you'll join me on Saturday, August 1st for a special evening. It would actually mean the world to me. In an effort to help two amazing women with their battle with breast cancer, I'm organizing a fundraiser on their behalf and I really hope you can make it. I've known Theodora Anne Merry and Marian Hollowell for years, and admire them tremendously, as well as their art and their work in the community. These women have made an indelible impact on Richmond, not only as visual and performing artists, but through their efforts to create and sustain our creative community. From Theodora's leadership ofNeighborhood School of the Arts to helping to create the InLight Richmond project, to Marian's work in founding Urban Artists Underground, Artspace and art6 galleries, I'd be surprised if you haven't reaped the benefits of their love and labor at some point.
But with no insurance - as many of us in the arts and cultural community suffer - and increasing bills, they can now use our help more than ever in dealing with mounting bills and the inability to work during this time. All you have to do to help is grab a 10 spot and fix a favorite dish!

Festivities will take place Saturday, August 1, 2009 at art6 Gallery and feature live music by Rattlemouth, whose grooves will get everyone to the dance floor! We'll also have poetry readings of Theodora's and Marian's works, a delicious potluck, and a cash bar.
Christina
*Please put name of dish and list of ingredients on your potluck dish.

Tits Up! Breast Cancer Benefit

for Theodora Anne Merry & Marian Hollowell
Saturday, August 1, 2009
6:30pm - doors open and potluck begins
7:30pm-9:30pm - Rattlemouth performs
art6 Gallery
6 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219

Suggested minimum donation $10, although we'll be excited to accept more.
Donations can also be made in honor of a specific lovely lady if you wish.

Our sincerest thanks to our event sponsors: art6 Gallery and Rattlemouth
http://www.art6.org/
http://www.myspace.com/rattlemouth

A Little Bit of Havana on Grace Street

2009-07-19T17:04:00.004-04:00

Grace Street just got a little better and I got a little happier. Brothers Kenn and Tico from Miami have been working on this Grace Street location for more than a year. While the economy went south, they held on to their plans for recreating a bit of Little Havana here in Richmond. I feel like a little bit of home just landed on my doorstep. Cubans have an affinity for good home cooked food and traditional Cuban cooking is passed down from one generation to the next. Castro's loss is our gain. I have been looking forward to this for a long time. Kenn-Tico is planning an opening this fall. I can guarantee I will tell you all about it. OMG, tengo hambre.

Kenn-Tico is located on Grace near 2nd St. next to Chic Chapeau Hat Shop.

Maggie L Walker, A Hero for Our Times

2009-07-19T06:27:00.008-04:00

Maggie L. Walker

All Things Richmond would like to apologize. We totally missed Maggie L Walker's birthday celebration at Third Street Bethel AME Church yesterday. For thoses who don't know, Maggie Walker was the first woman president of any bank in America, establishing the St. Joseph's Savings for blacks who had very little opportunity to bank anywhere. Her focus was on ordinary people who she encouraged to save a nickel at a time. This humble beginning evolved into Consolidated Bank and Trust at 2nd & Marshall, which is still there today.

Maggie Walker was born in harrowing times during the last years of the Civil War. She overcame these harsh beginnings to become one of the most respected black women of the 20th Century. In a time of challenge and opportunity, she stands as an example that no matter what your circumstances, you can survive and thrive. She is s a hero for our times who deserves a statue along Richmond's Avenue of Heroes, Monument Avenue. This is not politics, it is justice. She earned her place in history and we need her example now more than ever.

You can visit the Maggie L Walker National Park Service website for more information or visit her home at 110 1/2 East Leigh Street in Jackson Ward. Tours Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., closed major holidays. Call: 771-2017

Related Stories.

Story in today's Times Dispatch.

Page Wilson & Reckless Abandon

2009-07-18T14:40:00.005-04:00

Page Wilson and Reckless Abandon -
Dogwood Dell - Maymont

Saturday Night
8pm – 10:30pm

From PageWilson.com

"Reckless Abandon" is the unique, creative music ensemble gathered together by Page Wilson to present his distinctive approach to live performance. It is not only the name of the group, but also the approach to the music; to play with "reckless abandon." Rooted in the blues, folk, bluegrass, and country traditions of their native Virginia soil, the performances are spontaneous and original, yet with the professional musical expertise to go anywhere with a song, and take their audience along with them.

Read more on their website and come out and enjoy a fine summer evening at Dogwood Dell. Bring your own folding chairs and refreshments.

Falcon Updates

2009-07-18T00:55:00.004-04:00

From the DGIF Falcon Blog:

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The 4th egg remains unhatched, at this point there is no chance that it will hatch. The egg remains in the nest and has now been rolled off to the corner.

Our three eyases have have grown quickly! All three are well fed and moving around the nestbox. They aren't coordinated enough yet to walk on their feet...you'll note that they waddle on their tarsus. All three are feeding well.

Friday, July 16, 2009

The young falcons are just starting to get their feet under them - literally. The eyases will soon be able to stand and their feet instead of waddling on their "ankles" (tarsus). This will mark their ability tp move around much more effectively. At this point they're still a bit unsteady, but with some practice will soon be able to get around quite well.

This mobility created some consternation in 2007 (another late nest attempt at this site) as the young left the box and were unable to climb back in. We believe that the young were attempting to excape the heat of day by seeking shade elsewhere on the ledge. This necessitated some modifications including the ramp and overhand (for shade) seen on the nest box now.

I'll post falcon news here whenever I get it. I have restored the feed from the DGIF Blog in the lefthand sidebar. They are the mascot of this site and I hope Richmond's new mascot.

Pat McGee Band @ The National on Saturday

2009-07-17T18:14:00.004-04:00

I saw the Pat McGee Band two years ago at Friday Cheers. This straight ahead rock and roll band just has fun and so does the audience. I highly recommend this show if you are not going to some of the other events listed on the ATR Weekend Calendar. I may just change my plans. There's nothing wrong with a little good clean fun.

From the Pat McGee Band email.

Hey Richmond,
Come on down to the National tomorrow, Saturday, July 18--we're so excited to be back in Richmond and at this great venue. Eddie Hartness (of Eddie from Ohio fame) will be jammin' with us all night. See you Saturday!
Pat

Saturday, July 18
The National
704 E. Broad
Downtown Richmond

Jim Ivins Band 6:30 PM
Pat McGee Band around 10 PM

http://thenationalva.com/
http://m1e.net/c?42364863-atVxm7E7ftozs%404436776-9nzrfcplwrX1I

ATR Weekend Calendar 07/17/2009

2009-07-17T10:12:00.002-04:00

Friday July 17th

Virginia Historical Society - Free Admission - 428 N. Boulevard
River District Canal Cruises - Canal Turning Basin 14th and Dock St Richmond VA
Manchester National Juried Fine Art Exhibition: Small Works 2009 @ 1212 Gallery - 12 East 12th Street,
10am – 11:30am "Highlights of Hollywood Cemetery” Daily Walking Tours - Valentine Richmond History Center,
11am – 12:30pm Safety House – Fire Safety 11 am - Dogwood Dell - Maymont Park - Ha Penny Stage
5pm – 8pm After Work Brews & Blues with Mo Debree @ Capital Ale House - 623 E. Main St.,
6:30pm – 10pm Fridays At Sunset - Kanawa Plaza

*** ATR Pick ***
6:30pm – 10:30pm Gills and Wings / Crucial Elements / Moruza @
The National - 708 E. Broad St.
*** ATR Pick ***
7:30pm – 9:30pm Guitar and Other Strings Series: Stephen Bennett @ VCU - 922 Park Ave.,
8pm – 12am NOBS Brass Band w/ Hot Lava @ The Camel - 1621 W. Broad St.,
8:30pm – 10:30pm Latin Ballet - Dogwood Dell - Maymont Park
8:30pm – 11pm 2009 Movie Night in the Park - Bellmeade Community Center
9:30pm – 12am The Recliners @ Tobacco Company - 1201 E. Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia
11pm – 12am Richmond Rocky Horror Week: The Midnight Show - Movieland at Boulevard Square, 1301 N. Boulevard,

Saturday July 18th

Manchester National Juried Fine Art Exhibition: Small Works 2009 @ 1212 Gallery - 12 East 12th Street,
River District Canal Cruises - Canal Turning Basin 14th and Dock St Richmond VA
Free Family Day - Open House - VA History Museum 428 North Boulevard, Richmond, Virginia
10am – 4pm RO White Water Rafting - James River Park
11am – 12:30pm Victorian High Tech @ Maymont - Maymont Nature Center, 2201 Shields Lake Drive,
11am – 12:30pm Victorian High Tech @ Maymont - Maymont Nature Center, 2201 Shields Lake Drive,
12pm – 2pm SEGWAY TOUR - Starting point will be determined by Segway of Richmond.
2pm – 5pm Tubing on the James - Wetlands

*** ATR Pick ***
8pm – 10:30pm Page Wilson and Reckless Abandon -
Dogwood Dell - Maymont
*** ATR Pick ***
8pm – 12am Southern Culture on the Skids ? The Dregs ? Hamburger James @ Plaza Bowl - 521 East Southside Plaza,

Sunday July 19th

Manchester National Juried Fine Art Exhibition: Small Works 2009 @ 1212 Gallery - 12 East 12th Street
Virginia Historical Society - Free Admission - 428 N. Boulevard
River District Canal Cruises - Canal Turning Basin 14th and Dock St Richmond VA
10am – 4pm RO White Water Rafting - James River Park
11am – 1pm John Smith Trail Guided Kayaking - Huguenot Flat Water

*** ATR Pick ***
12pm – 4pm Sunday in the Park @ Forest Hill Park -
42nd St. & New Kent Ave.,
*** ATR Pick ***
1pm – 3pm 2009 Summer Reenactment Series - St John's Episcopal Church
2pm – 4pm The Museum District Walking Tour - the Pauley Center, directly behind the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Richmnd, VA
4pm – 5:30pm YAV’s Red Hawk – "Stories of My People" - Storytelling 4 pm - Dogwood Dell - Maymont Park - Ha Penny Stage
6pm – 8pm Music in the Park @ Forest Hill Park - 42nd St. & New Kent Ave.,
7pm – 9pm James Gates Group - Dogwood Dell - Maymont Park

Exhibition Opening and Performance @ 1708 Gallery

2009-07-17T09:42:00.003-04:00

THE OBSERVATION ROOM
by the Bridge Club

EXHIBITION OPENING AND PERFORMANCE:

FRIDAY, July 17, 2009, 6-9 pm
The Observation Room, an installation, performance, and video work by The Bridge Club collaborative will open with a one night performance not to be missed. The exhibition will be on view at 1708 Gallery from July 17 through August 15, 2009.

The Observation Room incorporates a Victorian notion that our identities can be contained by our possessions and surroundings, and that our stories can be told by what we leave behind. ...

The Bridge Club is a collaborative art and performance group consisting of artists Emily Ward Bivens, Christine Owen, Annie Strader, and Julie Wills. For further information, visit The Bridge Club's website at http://www.thebridgeclub.net/.

http://www.1708gallery.org/
info@1708gallery.org

Latin Ballet of Virginia @ Dogwood Dell

2009-07-17T03:27:00.001-04:00

Latin Ballet of Virginia

New Yoga Studio/Gallery in Jackson Ward.

2009-07-15T20:19:00.006-04:00

A new hybrid business is opening in Jackson Ward. Like Water as the sign indicates will celebrate yoga, art and life.

Briana Roane will teach yoga, pilates and fitness classes Monday through Saturday. Each class is priced $5.00. There will be 30 minute meditation sessions each Wednesday at 10:00 AM on a donation bases.

Jason Roane will use the front space as his art studio and offer weekly drawing classes on each 1st Saturday for $15.

There is an open house this Friday from 7 - 9 PM. If you live, work or are just passing through downtown, you can find their studio at 312 Brook Road, just left of the triangle at Adams and Broad. Refreshments and appetizers will be served.

Like Water
312 Brook Rd.
Richmond, VA 23220
804-477-6271
Website: http://likewaterva.com/
Jason's Blog: http://jasonsartworks.blogspot.com/

James River Tubing Trips

2009-07-13T22:22:00.002-04:00

Float through open calm water observing osprey, heron and hidden channels wear shoes, tubes and life jackets provided

Call to register and get directions.

James River Park 804 646-8911

Visit the Friends of the James River Park calendar page for more activities.

Falcon Mom Tending to Chicks

2009-07-12T15:55:00.001-04:00

I can't tell how many chicks are in the nest. At last count there were three with one unhatched egg. The DGIF blog has not been updated since last Tuesday. I'm not going to speculate. I expect we will here something soon. The falcon parents must not only feed they brood, but shield them from the sun and keep them cool So far they are thriving.

To view blog and cam go here.

To view Richmond Falcon Cam full screen, go here.

Antiques on Broad

2009-07-11T03:28:00.000-04:00

From Richmond magazine

Antiques on Broad will be open multiple Saturdays at 311 W. Broad St.:

July 18
Aug. 1, 15 and 29
Sept. 12 and 26
Oct. 10 and 24
Nov. 7 and 21 (weather permitting)

See Antiques on Broad Website

Inlight Richmond - Wearable Art Competition

2009-07-10T15:02:00.008-04:00

Regenerate

InLight Richmond's 2009

Wearable Art Competition

Fashion Show

1708 Gallery calls all creative individuals to submit entries for the 12th Annual Wearable Art competition and fashion show, Regenerate. A creative fusion of fashion, sculpture, media and movement, Wearable Art is a component of InLight Richmond, the second annual celebration of light-inspired contemporary art. The winning designs will be presented in a fashion show which will take place outside the weekend of September 25-27, 2009 (either Friday or Saturday night) in downtown Richmond - between East Broad and East Grace Street and 5th and 8th Street.

Full details at the Inlight Richmond Wearable Art webpage.