Get Out There Richmond!

Blogs, Tweets, and Likes, Oh My! UR probes social media's utility...

2009-07-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

On Friday, July 24, University of Richmond's Jepson School for Leadership Studies kicked off a day-long conference - "Strategic Leadership and Social Media for Social Good" - for an audience of over 200 nonprofit executives, government officials, and IT, communications & marketing professionals. The event was live-tweetied (hashtag #sm4sg) and Web-casted live as well (hat tip to RVA blogfather John Sarvay).

Lisa Schaffner of UNOS, and formerly of Channel 8, was the moderator, and the Best Practices and Case Studies panel featured local Richmond heavy-hitters like Jon Newman of the Hodges Partnership, Aaron Dotson of Elevation, Scott Pharr of PharrOut and Cynthia Price, communications director for ChildFund International...and for some odd reason, me.

Below are the welcome and session videos.

Welcome

Part 1

Part 2

What a day

2009-05-07T16:44:00.000-07:00

Taking a cue from Peter King of Sports Illustrated, I'm gonna do a rambling series of posts-within-a-post that may or may not have a unified field theory of existing in tandem.

- So, Manny Ramirez tested positive for a drug that boosts testosterone, is handed a 50-day suspension, and withdraws his appeal (kinda seems like the move of a guilty man). Damn. He tested positive for a drug given to 'roid-heads who want to hide the 'roids. A drug designed for women, no less. We can all guess which somebody will be hitting Raphael Palmiero's Viagra in a few years. Folks, given the pervasiveness of performance-enhancers in sports (mark my words, the PGA is next!), I'm really rethinking my failure to stick as a high school athlete (I was cut from every sport, even those without cuts...). Basically, I could continue to believe that I sucked, but now I'm starting to think that the other kids were doped up. Yeah, that's the ticket. I was robbed!

- I ended up working late to the point where the Social Media Club Richmond event was halfway done (I'm happy they're getting together because back in the "olden days" of the blogosphere, it was hard to get folks together...and for the record, Morton's has better steak than Ruth Chris. There I said it.). So, I sent my regrets and headed home...where I immediately proceeded to delete my Twitter account.

- Come on, people. Twitter is stupid unless you're in the news, PR, or marketing business...or unless you have untreated OCD. There's a reason that 60% of users drop it after one month; hell, at least I lasted a year. 520-something updates and 200-plus "followers" weren't enough to keep me interested, especially because I'm a writer, not a one-liner. As one of my Facebook friends said in response to a long, pointed FB status update, "Now I see why 140 characters weren't enough." Exactly. My snarkasm takes longer to spill out. Goodbye TweetDeck, Twitterholic, and the banal public curiosity about a product whose shelf-life as a standalone technology is coming to an end. Anywho, I came, I saw, I hit delete...I'm still holding onto one private-access-only Twitter account (twitter.com/conawayhaskins) for safekeeping because the guys who started Twitter also started Blogger, which they eventually sold to Google, and well, Twitter makes more sense as a function of another technology (i.e. Blogger, Google Apps, etc.), not as a primo technology in and of itself.

- I'm really wondering what the hell is up with customer service these days. First, our telecomm provider screws up our order and installation times (we switched companies in frustration). Then, I get harassed at a local big-box sporting goods retailer whose odd golf salesman actually accuses me of using a buffer to clean up a club that I'd just bought but returned (un-hit) soon thereafter when I found it cheaper. If the concept of me using a buffer wasn't so hilarious (have you felt my hands? I ain't exactly Mr. Tooltime), I'd have gone off. Then, we get the run-around with a contractor about our roof. Finally, Conde Nast screws the pooch by shutting down Portfolio magazine when I've got 2 years left on a subscription. I still haven't heard about the options they're offering subscribers despite being told by the poor folks in the subscription department that they'd email us with choices (hint: I like the New Yorker so much that I converted my Golf Digest subscription into that rag). Companies will soon learn that in hard economic times, treating customers right will be the difference between survival and Chapter 7 or 11. Read Dale Carnegie people!

- At any rate, it looks like our microfarming experiment is turning out well. We'll have plenty of potatoes, beets, and carrots to munch on when the cooler weather gets here in a few months. Sadly, I think that the beans and greens will struggle to make it. But, that ain't half bad for first-timers. It's easier to be a locavore when you grow the food yourself.

- Have you ever noticed that Juicy Juice makes wonderful mixers for cocktails? Seriously. I know this stuff is marketed to parents as a healthy 100% juice alternative (man, I've been cutting it 50/50 with water because their fruit concentrates are way sugary), but it's amazing how a little Juicy Juice added to, say Tanqueray Rangpur, Absolut Pears, Southern Comfort 100 proof and such makes a nice, smooth-drinking nameless cocktail. And it has vitamins!

- It's been kinda fun hijacking my wife's blog for the past few months, but I'm rather tired. I finally got that Scott Yancy piece done, and my writing mojo went south as soon as I hit publish (and after it was picked up by BASN). The Visual Arts Center of Richmond is offering workshops, and they sent me a reminder that my membership (read: donation) had lapsed, so maybe I'll go do a fiction workshop or something. As the old folks say, I'll do blog posts when the spirit moves me. Otherwise, be good to each other. Peace!

Brother can you spare a ball marker? Where did all the men's pro golf go in Richmond?

2009-05-06T20:52:00.000-07:00

It seems like every spring, Richmonders could count on seeing top-shelf or future top-shelf men's professional golf. Back in the day, the Greater Richmond Open would come to town showcase the future stars of the PGA and offer local wannabe pros a shot at glory. Well, it looks like 2009 will be a relatively barren year as far as the men are concerned. Last year, The Dominion Club announced that it would "cease to host the Nationwide Tour's Henrico County Open effective during the 2009 season."

The reason given was that, "The tournament is without a title sponsor." The upside was that the environment would benefit as the club management looked "forward to returning the course to its preferred turf management practices and eliminating the overseeding of the rough." Still, the area golfing public suffered as American golf's AAA league packed up and left.

The drought doesn't end there. The Hooter's Tour, one of golf's AA entries, also pulled out of Richmond after hosting a regular event south of the river at Lake Chesdin. However, the lower-tier (A-level, perhaps?) but high-stepping eGolf Professional Tour (formerly the Tarheel tour) will be holding it's $220,000 Greater Richmond Open in the outskirts of the city, splitting time between Petersburg and Providence Forge. There are also events an hour away in Gordonsville and Farmville, but those are just shy of the Metro region's regular purview.

Despite the professional men kicking Richmond to the curve, the LPGA’s main developmental tour – the Futures Tour – is coming to town in August. Golf fans will be able to check out the next generation of women stars. And, this weekend, Williamsburg is playing host to the best women golfers in the world as the Michelob Ultra Open hits Kingsmill.

It's actually a good thing that the ladies are coming as most average male golfers could learn more from them than from Tiger & Co. That is, if they were really honest about the quality of their games and speed of their swings. Depending on how the spirit moves, this is one way below average duffer who may mosey on over to Patterson Road to watch and learn.

A Walk Nearly Spoiled: A Quick Update as Yancy's Game Goes South...Again

2009-04-29T19:53:00.000-07:00

So, it looks like Scott Yancy did not have much success on his first outing on the Hooters Tour. Playing on that circuit's Carolina Series event at the Charlotte National Golf Club, he shot a 78 and was disqualified. Par was 72, and from the looks of things, had he not been DQ'd, he would've started the 2nd round with a shot at making the cut and cashing a check.

Speaking with him earlier in the month, Scott had scaled back his outlook a bit, saying "My goal is to make it to the PGA tour, [but] right now it looks like a great happening would be to make the cut in a Hooters event." For now, he seems resigned that he may not be PGA material. He o his plan being delayed. Playing on the virtually unknown Moonlight Tour, he did okay making it onto the "order of merit" with a handful of points.

As for winging it on the Hooter's Tour, Scott plans to play in the tournament taking place on May 11-17 at Sunset Hills Country club in his hometown of Edwardsville, IL.

If you need a refresher, a set of four articles on Scott's journey was published by the Black Athlete Sports Network around Master's Week. You can find the originals here, here, here, and here. The raison d'etre for why a Richmond blog is writing about a wannabe pro golfer in Illinois is here. Enjoy.

Telling magazine salesmen that their product is dead isn't in my "Portfolio"

2009-04-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

Earlier today, word came via Portfolio.com blogger Jeff Bercovici (hat tip: Huffington Post) that the Conde Nast publication's time on digital Earth was drawing to a close. Apparently, the investors and management of the media company decided that their 21-month experiment in a glossy, behind-the-scenes business journalism magazine just wasn't cutting it. Now, Portfolio will end up on the scrap heap of creative destruction that is transforming the media business before our eyes.

Being a subscriber, I gave the subscription office a call when I stepped out to grab a sandwich seeing what my options would be in terms of refunds, transferal of service to another product, etc. I ditched the automated service by pressing "0" and got a warm body who was eager to help me with my "subscription." After telling him that I heard the news of the magazine's imminent demise, instead of offering me an alternative, he retorted "Where'd you hear that from, sir?" I replied, "I saw it on your website - Portfolio.com - that the magazine was being cut." He replied, "Really, I haven't heard anything about it. Hold on." He came back on a few seconds later sounding shaken. "Well, I guess that we're the last to know in these situations."

He took my email address and informed me that the company normally offers a refund or a shift to another magazine. At that point, I was less concerned about my rather low-priced subscription and more concerned that I may have alerted this young man that his job or the job of his friends may be in danger. How sad.

Horton Vineyards 2007 Vidal Blanc: It's one in the morning, and do you know where your wine is?

2009-04-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

Well, after a late-night run to feed a wine fix (since Lent ended, I'm easing myself back into alcohol consumption), I managed to score a bottle of 2007 Vidal Blanc from Orange County's Horton Vineyards. From the hands and minds of one of Virginia's finest wine producers, this little bottle of liquid pleasure only cost me around $6 at an area Kroger. That's a great deal considering that the 2006 version retails at $10/bottle at the vineyard itself and Vidal Blanc isn't know for aging well over the long term.

As one of the last 2 bottles on the store shelf, it's always a crap-shoot seeing if the wine was overexposed to the heat and light of a grocer's shop. But, for $6, it was a no-harm-no-foul situation. Anyway, I'm glad that I picked it up. Upscale it's not, but this semi-dry white wine ain't half bad (there's no info about it on the website - the 2006 info is up). It actually reminds me of one of the pear hard ciders offered up at your local brewery - sweet but not sugary, definitely high on the alcohol content, but dry enough avoid sending you into brain cramp territory.

This isn't a dessert wine, but it would be good to drink solo before or after dinner. The label was pretty much correct in terms of noting the pineapple and citrus notes.

As far as Virginia wines go, Horton is usually a can't-miss proposition. Once upon at time, we serendipitously lucked up into a private tour of the entire wine-making operation by the owner, so there's always a bit of sentimentality attached to wines under the Horton label. But, their reputation is well-earned. If you manage to find the '07 VB, and it's under $7-8, consider it money (and time) well spent.

Soak(ed) in Short Pump?

2009-04-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks, going to Short Pump Mall (Town Centre, Fashion Park, Galleria..or whatever name the developers gave it) has been kinda sad. One of my favorite spots to pick up goodies for the special ladies in my life (and the occasional manly metrosexual product, too) has apparently closed it doors.

Soak was a cute little store near the 1st floor of Dillards that opened up to some media fanfare back in the day. They had a variety of spa products, including some body scrubs that (I've been told) tasted like candy. The staff was always nice and accommodating, especially when I'd show up exasperated at Christmas time looking to take care of multiple gifts without duplication and within budget. I always figured that closing down their Carytown operation and focuses on the higher traffic reaches of downtown Short Pump would work better. Guess I was wrong.

I've searched the local business news and found nothing about the store's apparent demise. Calls to the shop and the distribution center were met with that awful "phone line is no longer in service" message, and the two websites are either static or dead. I guess the economic downturn has claimed another victim. Oh well, birthday, holidays, and other events just won't be the same...and neither will my hurtin' feet (no comment).

A Walk Nearly Spoiled: Carolina On His Mind

2009-04-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

After winning the local “Dave Thomas Invitational” money event, Scott Yancy won another local event called the Walt Leidner Invitational in his home state of Illinois. Then, in July 2008, his game went south…literally. He had decided to take another route to the PGA tour by trying his luck at the Tarheel Golf Tour, a minor league circuit based in the Carolinas and Virginia. The Tarheel tour is professional level golf, with the top money winner in 2008 hauling in just over $100,000 playing in 16 of the 20 sponsored events. The 2007 money-winner pulled down just over $80,000 participating in all 20 events. That seems like good money for the average joe, but when you consider that the average caddie for a top 100 PGA players makes more than that carrying a pro’s golf bag and recommending shots and clubs, it is a paltry sum.

For the uninitiated, the world of professional golf may seem obscure. From the polyester slacks and thick white belts that marked the games early televised forays in the 1960s and 1970s, golf has becoming a high-tech big-money sport with millions of dollars flowing at various levels. At the top of the professional food chain sits the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Tour, a multi-million dollar organization that organizes 40-45 nationally-televised events per year, paying out a total in excess of $250 million in prize money. Founded in 1968 to separate the full-time competitive golfers from those who earn a living managing golf facilities or teaching, the PGA is the highest level of competitive golf in the world.

This is the realm of Tiger Woods, and it remains the white whale of many an aspiring golf pro. Annually, 125-150 golfers participate in regular PGA events, and most of those golfers also have endorsement contracts from golf, athletic and corporate sponsors that add additional millions for touring pros to earn. In 2008, the top 100 golfers on the PGA Tour made a minimum of $1 million each in prizes.

Below the PGA Tour exists the Nationwide Tour (analogous to baseball’s AAA leagues), the NGA/Hooters Tour, the Gateway Tour, and various and sundry other tours paying smaller amounts to competitors. The Nationwide circuit is the official development league for the PGA, and the top 25 money-winners on that tour earn the right to play in PGA events the following year. At any point in time, 65% of PGA Tour players trace their playing history to the Nationwide Tour. Golfers play in over 30 events totaling over $20 million in prize money.

Two competing entities occupy the playing space a step below the Nationwide Tour - The NGA/Hooters Tour and the Gateway Tour. The Hooters circuit is owned by the founder of the eponymous restaurant chain noted for scantily clad waitresses. Its golfers play in roughly 30 events that pay out a total of $6.2 million annually with host sites throughout the Southeastern and Midwestern US. The Gateway Tour is its primary competitor, owned in part by several PGA professionals, and offering over 50 events that pay a total of $7.2 million in annual prize money. It is based primarily in the Southwestern US and holds additional events in Florida. If the Nationwide Tour is the AAA of golf, the Hooters and Gateway Tours are golf’s AA, and many PGA champions got their start on these tours. This minor league life is Scott Yancy’s world, the place where he proclaims, “I am going forward with my dreams”

Scott’s time on the 2008 Tarheel tour was on par with that in his previous attempts at pro-level golf. He entered seven events, played six and was disqualified in one. He missed the cut in five of the six events he played, and in the other event, he lasted one round and there was not a cut. His lowest round was a respectable 71 and his highest never more than 84, which gave him an average of 78.7 in 11 rounds. However, in the final season event, the Tarheel Tour Championship, he was disqualified.

Speaking in October 2008, Scott attributed his lack of success to his own shortcomings, not the abilities of the competition. He says, “As for my performance on tour, yes the competition is good, but that has had nothing to do with my play. Quite simply I just haven't played well.” He believed that geography was part of his undoing asserting that, “A big part of the problem is that the types of courses we play on [the Tarheel] tour are different from the ones I grew up playing on. The greens are much faster, and there is so much more undulation in them.”

In his mind, this affects the strategy that a golfer must take to play the game well in Dixie. In addition to the course set up, Scott felt that “there is such a premium on driving the ball well because the rough is thick and makes it hard to stop the ball on these firm, fast greens.” He continued, “after my first tournament on the Tarheel tour where I shot one over [par] in the opening round and knew I had to shoot 68 the second day to make the cut, I probably took too many risks and played too aggressively, thus causing me to shoot +4 on the second round. But what can you do? You have to shoot 4 under, you know, so you have to be aggressive.” He seemed rather wistful about this noting, “sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.”

After just one tournament, Scott decided to make a rather drastic move. He said that “After that tournament, I decided that I needed to change my golf swing so that I could be more accurate and hit more fairways and greens. I enlisted the help of Brian Fogt at Bellereive Country Club in St. Louis.” He felt this shift would make him more competitive. However, over the next five events, his performance did not get better. He chalks this up to the swing overhaul, “The scores you saw after that first tournament are reflective of me trying to play golf on tour while working on swing changes. It's very tough.” Quite frankly, making swing changes in the midst of a season was a risky move. After his changes did not succeed, he changed back.

By the time he got to an event in South Carolina, Scott “finally said ‘forget the swing changes,’” As he figured, “I may not be the most accurate player on tour, but I hit the ball so far that even when I'm in the rough, I can still hit wedges and 9 irons into the greens. So I went out and played ‘Scott Yancy, no holding back’ style golf.” He felt this made him much more competitive.

“I made 5 birdies and an eagle in the first round but managed to only shoot -1. Nonetheless it was my best round on tour this year and set me up in excellent position to make the cut. I made six bogeys in that round primarily because the golf course was so wet and soggy that I had a hard time playing chips and pitches around the greens. They just didn't react the way I thought they would and that left me a lot of 15 footers for par.”

Scott’s second round was shaky. He says, “I started off the front nine hitting the ball all over the map. I was dizzy when I woke up and my balance was off. I got up and down for par on the first 5 holes. I had hit no fairways and no greens, but mentally I was just grinding, you know. Finally I missed an ‘up and down’ on 6 and dropped back to even for the tournament.” Scott can painfully detailed getting derailed. Going from bad to worse, he ended up hitting a shot that required inventions from rules officials. After the dust settled, he ended up carding an 84.
“What a roller coaster. I learned my lesson - know the rules and always, always, always play my best no matter what,” he reflected.

Despite his less than stellar play on the Tarheel tour, with the 2009 season in gear, he says, “My game is back…I can promise you that I will play well....I have figured out what it takes for me to play well.”

So far, 2009 has proven interesting for him. Scott says that he shot +3 at a qualifying event for the Honda Classic when -2 was the necessary score. Hitting that bump has not stopped him. He says that, “I have my card on the Hooters tour again. Via my 13th place finish at Hooters Tour qualifying school this year, I am eligible to play the Hooters Tour events as I see fit. But I am not playing until I feel that my game is ready to be competitive.”

With several fits and starts in his past, Scott is starting to look frankly at his career choices. The dreams of an 18 year-old college freshman on scholarship turned into the hopefulness of a 23 year-old reality TV contestant. Now, at 28, he is blunt about his journey saying, “The major reason for me turning pro again is simply money. See, right now I work 50 hours a week in retail, my schedule varies quite a bit, and our peak days are on the weekends. So, it's really tough for me to take days off to play in tournaments. Also with the [work] schedule, sometimes I work at morning sometimes I work at night. It makes it so hard for me to get time to practice when most of the time I'm trying to catch up on my sleep so I can function the next day at work.”

Scott now realizes the sheer amount of work he must put in to get on the path to the PGA. “The only way I have a chance to make it to the PGA Tour is to be able to put in 10 hours a day like the rest of the guys that are out there. I just can't do that working [in a retail job]. Can you imagine how good of a basketball player Michael Jordan would've been if he had to work 50 hours a week during basketball season?”

Noting his desire for financial assistance, he says, “If I can get a sponsor or a few sponsors, I can get back to practicing and getting ready to compete out there. Otherwise I could try to be competitive based on my raw talent which is basically what I had to do when I was on tour before. I need money for a good teacher, membership at a tour quality golf course, and to pay enough of my bills so that I don't have that extra stress and pressure on my shoulders. It doesn't help knowing that if you miss a cut you might not have enough money for gas to go home.”

In his quest for golfing, he is turning to a higher power to set his feet on solid ground, saying “I believe that it's God's will for me to play, and my struggle is part of my testimony.”

Despite the longest of odds, Scott has confidently proclaimed that during the 2009 season, “My golf game will be ready and no matter what, I am going forward with my dream.” For a seasoned professional golfer with years of Nationwide and PGA tour action under his belt, such a plan would still be considered ambitious. But, for an Illinois mall employee with less than 10 years of competitive golf experience, who dropped off of two lower-level college teams and shoots scores that would barely win championships at the local country club, this undertaking is downright impossible. Yet, Scott Yancy toils on, and with a new season afoot and the power of the Internet and TV, everyone can watch to see if his good walk ends up spoiled.

A Walk Nearly Spoiled: In the Shadow of the Big Break

2009-04-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

Despite his less than stellar performance on The Big Break II show, Scott Yancy’s performance earned him the attention of Hooters Tour which offered him entry into a number of events. He prepared to tackle the professional ranks, only to have his plans set back by what he deems, “Strange happenings and bad luck.” In his first event, Scott was sitting at even par after 12 holes when he suffered a pulled chest muscle that forced him to withdraw. After recovering from that injury, he prepared to enter his second Hooters event when he says it was “almost cancelled because of a possible tornado.” Because his financial backers provided him with very little money, he drove all night for 12 hours, arriving at the event site at 2 am. This left him with about four hours of sleep before the tournament, where he subsequently shot consecutive rounds of 75 and 79. This left him 12 strokes over par, not nearly enough to make the cut.

According to Yancy, his third tournament turned even weirder. This was a Canadian Tour event – several levels below the PGA – in Mexico, and after getting off to what he considered a great start (three under par through four holes), he says that a spectator shot at him after in retaliation for a stray ball that ended up in the man’s yard during a practice round the day before. Needless to say, this altered his mindset.

“After being shot at, I was honestly a little shaken up and ended up firing 81 and was out of it.” His final pro attempt was no better, leaving him frustrated. He says that his financial backer went bankrupt right before he made his first pro tournament cut, leaving him with very little money after expenses. Not seeing a way to continue, he headed back home to Illinois and found work at Victoria’s Secret, the ubiquitous lingerie retailer.

In September 2007, I and a number of other people received a surprising early-morning email message from Scott Yancy. After his rather difficult first attempt at a pro career, Scott indicated that he wanted one more shot at making a career as a professional golfer. That message hinted at his troubles the first time around, and gave some insight into his life since. Scott told of his coming “back home without a dollar in my pocket,” saying that he was “forced into the working world.” Unable to cope with his seeming misfortune, he claims that he “didn’t play in a golf event for 16 months.”

Scott says that in 2007, the United States Golf Association – the official governing body of organized golf in America – allowed him to regain his status as an amateur, indicating that he no longer warranted consideration as a professional for competition purposes. With this newfound status, he was able to play in a qualifying tournament for the United States Mid-Amateur Championship, an event featuring some of the best adult amateurs in the country. He finished in 36th place, but considered that a victory since he had not played much in the preceding years.

Although he held respectable employment, the Anderson University business graduate, believes that his life was “in shambles [because] I have to go to work every day knowing that I’m wasting the talent that God has given me to play golf.” Believing that he still had the ability to play professionally, Scott told of his decision to attempt a return to professional status in January 2009. He asserted that his golfing game would be ready by then for him to pursue his dream.

Had I not initially recognized his name, I would have taken Yancy’s email as spam, regulating it to the pile of messages to be deleted. However, his attempt to reach out, even to writers who covered him in previous stories, seemed an interesting tactic, one asking for a follow-up story to be pursued. Reaching him via email, Scott was blunt about the status of his professional aspirations. “I’m stuck” he noted, “I’m not playing on tour because I have zero sponsorship. I am currently working as a manager for Victoria’s Secret.”

Compared to most professional golfers, Scott started playing the game later in his youth. He tried out for his high school golf team during his junior year, shortly after taking up the sport, and he claims that he made the team over “125 to 150 kids trying to make the cut for 6 or 7 spots” on what he deemed one of “the best high school squads in America.” Though he never won any high school or youth tournaments, he says that he played well enough to enough to earn a scholarship offer from Kentucky State University, a historically black institution that sponsored a Division II team. Feeling that his inexperience was holding him back, he transferred to Anderson University, a Division III school in Indiana, where he says that he felt more comfortable. At Anderson, Scott would be able to play golf closer to his home and family. The lower level of competition afforded at Division III schools also seemed easier for him to handle.

Coaches at KSU and Anderson did not reply to my repeated phone and email inquiries about Scott. When I asked Scott about this, he attributed their unresponsiveness to negative feelings generated by his testy departures from both schools. “My coaches aren't the best people to contact, honestly. I think my Indiana (Anderson) coach never really got over the fact that I am determined to make it with or without him, and my Kentucky State coach is still rather mad that I left there to go back to Indiana. I haven't spoken to him since I left.”

Scott left school just short of graduation to pursue a shot on the Gateway Tour. He entered several events to no avail and eventually returned to school to finish his undergraduate business administration degree in May 2004. A year later, he saw the information about the “Big Break” reality show, and to his surprise he made it into the competition. Then followed the series of unfortunate events that he believes landed him in Victoria’s Secret and out of professional golf.

As he said, “three years in the shadow of the Big Break, and I’m still trying to find a way to keep playing and achieve my goal of playing on the PGA Tour.” Recognizing that his background and formal golf education paled in comparison to the current crop of top-level pros, he believed that he would have to “take an unconventional route,” but he proclaimed that he “won’t stop until [his] name is on top of the PGA.”

In 2008, Scott laid out a plan to reach his goals. Sizing up various competitive opportunities, he intended to play in the Illinois and Missouri state amateur championships and other local tournaments that were not too far from his home. Then, he would pursue entry into national amateur events.

“My plan is simple,” he said, “I will compete in [regional] US Open qualifying [events], the US Amateur qualifying process, the US Mid-Amateur, US Public Links Championship qualifying, and the Western Amateur.” He hoped that success in the regional qualifying events would lead to actual entry in the national events to qualify him for the US Open, or he hoped that winning one of the national amateur events would earn him an invitation to the Master’s. If he made the Masters, he “would turn pro and start playing golf again full time.”

For an Illinois mall employee with less than 10 years of competitive golf under his belt, this was an ambitious undertaking. The golf world is full of men and women who labored for years, individuals with more experience, training, and financial support than Scott - men and women who never quite made the big time. Despite the long road ahead, by the time we talked, Scott offered up that he had won his most recent tournament, a local event with golfers of varying talents. According to him, “It is a local tournament (where) a bunch of the top players in St. Louis get together a few times a year and beat each others’ brains out for bragging rights. It's been known as the Dave Thomas Invitational. It felt so great to get the juices flowing again and to know that after all this time I can still compete.”

As it turns out, the “Dave Thomas Invitational” is merely a local money game, not an officially-sanctioned event.

A few months later, Scott’s circuitous journey took another detour, this time a southern one. When I inquired about how things were progressing, Scott eagerly informed me that he’d found a home on another organized golf tour. He said, “I’m still out chasing my dream of playing on the PGA Tour and grinding away. I moved to Warsaw, IN for two months and trained under a great teacher and player, Denny Hepler. My game improved dramatically.”

With the upswing in his game, he headed out for more action. As he says, “I made my way home to St. Louis for a tournament where I won and picked up a sponsor and some endorsements along the way. I am now playing golf on the Tarheel Professional Golf Tour in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia for the remainder of the [2008] season leading up to PGA Tour Qualifying School in October [2008]. My first event on the Tarheel Tour will start Thursday, July 10 at the Southern Open.”

Scott confidently encouraged me to keep tabs on his from afar saying, “You can follow my progress on the Tarheel Tour's website at www.tarheeltour.com.” I took him up on his offer and began monitoring his play over the next few months. It was interesting.

A Walk Nearly Spoiled: At the Intersection of Golf and Race

2009-04-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's the magnolias and moonlight or maybe it's just the early springtime Georgia humidity. Without fail, whenever the Masters rolls around, the sporting world turns its thoughts to the persnickety issue of race. Like clockwork, ESPN will be doing an "Outside the Lines" feature later today on the very subject.

Anyone living and watching golf in the last 30 years know the territory all too well - a prominent tournament founded by the game's greatest legend is played at location that excludes blacks as members (but not as caddies or servants) and for decades disallows participation in its marquee event by otherwise qualifed African-American golfers. Eventually, the club opens its doors to men of color (sorry, ladies) as members and tournament participants (a handful play) until one day a skinny, telegenic multiracial phenom obliterates its course records. Somehow, you get the feeling that the so-called golf gods are smiling.

It makes for great television and great theater, but that story is way to simple to just leave at that.

Every second of every day, somewhere in America, someone is hitting a golf ball. Such a statement may mask the reality of golf as a mostly daylight endeavor, but over 30 million people in the US feed an industry worth over $76 billion annually in goods and services. Over 10 percent of the nation’s total population over the age of six is hooked on the sport that Mark Twain famously described as a “bad walk spoiled.” The recent economic downturn has put a crimp in the industry's growth as rounds played, equipment purchases, and club construction have curtailed. Nonetheless, golf remains a big deal in the US.

From the rarified air of Augusta National to the windmills and elephants at local miniature golf facilities, the golf economy balloons to $195 billion after primary, secondary and related activities are considered, providing work to over 2 million Americans. This works out to a golf-related payroll exceeding $61 billion. From a shepherd’s sport birthed in Scottish pastures to the commanding heights of market capitalism, the game of golf is big business.

According to the National Golf Foundation, the leading industry research organization, that 30 million figure includes only 1.5 million African-American adults, or five percent. Put another way, there are currently more blacks in America’s criminal justice system than on American golf courses. While the leading black golf publication, the African American Golfers Digest, estimates that some 3.5 million black youths annual express interest in the sport, the number of continue on to adulthood as players rapidly dissipates. The irony is that the world’s greatest golfer, Tiger Woods, is a multiracial phenomenon with a black father and Asian mother. Yet despite the up-tick in African-American interest in the European export, and the rising affluence among black communities nationwide, the ascension of Tiger Woods is a solo journey as no other blacks play on the PGA Tour, golf’s biggest stage.

Multiple theories abound as to the why African-American golf participation, and subsequently the number of black pros, lags behind. Debert Cook, a noted African-American golf observer and publisher of the AAGD, attributes it to several factors. She says that, “Blacks have a difficult time getting to the professional level because of several things: Completing [PGA] Q[ualifying] School successfully and qualifying for the [professional] tournaments…many are ill-prepared due to their lack of necessary funding, sponsorship and financial support that is necessary to help them and then to keep them playing at their highest level.”

For her, golfers seeking to play at the highest professional levels must have access to “playing on the best courses and continuously working on their game.” Though similar requirements exist for all sports, she feels that certain elements make golf more difficult than others. “The difference is in the expensive cost of the game, training, course fees and equipment that is needed for players to develop and perform at a top level,” says the entrepreneur whose New York-based quarterly publication recently celebrated it fifth anniversary.

For Tony McClean, the lack of black participation is a betrayal of black history with the game in the US. The editor of the Black Athlete Sports Network – an online media outlet that serves as the sports wire service for the African-American newspaper industry - McClean asserts that, “There's no doubt that since the emergence of Tiger Woods on the golf scene, the perception is that more blacks have become aware of and have taken up the sport.” But this contemporary viewpoint masks what he sees as a longer history of the black presence on the green grasses of the game. Says McClean, “If you look carefully at the overall history of blacks either involved and or playing the sport, blacks have more than had a major role in the sports overall history.”

He makes note of milestones such as Dr. George Grant's invention of the golf tee in December of 1899 to Debert Cook’s founding the African-American Golfers Digest, the play of professional golfing pioneers like Charlie Sifford (the first black on the PGA Tour - the Northern Trust Open awarded an exemption into the 2009 tournament in his honor), Lee Elder (the first to win a PGA tournament), as well as the contributions of lesser known figures like John Shippen, Bill Spiller, and Ted Rhodes. McClean sees the path taken by Tiger Woods as one paved by previous generations.

Still, he is well aware of the darker side of the game, one where “despite the vast history of Blacks and dominance of Woods on the highest level of the sport…the mainstream (i.e. white-dominated) media…still looks at the ‘phenomenon’ of blacks in golf as a ‘fad.’” He points to the “hateful words and comments of Fuzzy Zoeller,” a popular champion golfer who made off-color remarks about Tiger Woods prior to a Master’s event a decade ago and to the recently controversial remarks by Golf Channel analyst Kelly Tilghman that the only way for his fellow PGA pros to stop Tiger Woods would be to “lynch him in a back alley.”

Despite the 1.5 million black participants, McClean firmly believes that such incidents are “constant reminders that, even after all these years, blacks are still looked upon as subservient in a sport that has been controlled by whites.”

I got a small entrée into the world of aspiring black golfers back in 2005. Writing for the BASN and AAGD, I covered the story of two African-American men who were selected to participate in the second season of The Golf Channel’s highly regarded reality show, “The Big Break II.” After speaking with both men, Jay McNair and Scott Yancy, it became clear that only one was seriously considering making a run for the top of the sport. Though both men were among the earliest of the 10 men eliminated from the competition and its prize of automatic entry on to the NGA/Hooters Tour, Scott Yancy had clearly been bitten by a golf bug strong enough to make him persist.

A 27-year old, Glen Carbon, Illinois native seeking to break away from the pack of 30 million, Scott currently works at a Victoria’s Secret store near his hometown. By day, he stocks the store with panties, bras, and the latest fragrance offerings, but come closing time, he hits the course, honing his game so that he is prepare when his time comes. Normally, a wannabe pro golfer toiling away in the land of retail would not draw much attention. Yet, what makes Scott unique speaks to the oft-hidden lines of demarcation that make professional golf exhilarating and unattainable at the same time. Scott is African-American.

As an African-American attempting to make it in the lily-white world of competitive golf, Scott believes that his race has colored his experiences in the game. “I do feel that, at some stages, being African-American has made things harder for me.” Still he harbors no lingering sense that his ethnicity will be a long-term impediment. Looking to the example set by the world’s top golfer, he says, “As we've seen in Tiger Woods, just because you're a minority doesn't mean you can't succeed; it just means that since there are so many more of the majority, you need to be that much better because you're competing against them.”

Scott does not blame white racism or class barriers for his lack of success, but he does has less than kind words for black business owners, who fail to sponsor aspiring pros on the same level as their white corporate counterparts. “I have felt let down…that more minority business owners haven't taken an interest in helping me achieve my goal. If I were a person with money, I would help a good kid like me simply because I like seeing people chase their dreams.” In his mind, these are the people who can help foster young black golfing talent.

“I’ve met so many people that have the ability to sponsor me for a year and not even miss the money, but for some reason they choose not to. It's frustrating, but it makes me that much more focused on achieving this thing because I want to be the person that helps grow this game by offering sponsorships and support to our minority players trying to enter the game.” Looking beyond simple playing success, Scott says that his “entire motivation is to open the door for the next guys so they don't have to go through what I’ve gone through.”

A Walk Nearly Spoiled: Telling the Story of Scott Yancy's Quest for Golfing Glory

2009-04-04T20:33:00.000-07:00

A few years back, I wrote an article for the Black Athlete Sports Network about a guy named Scott Yancy. At the time, Scott was an eager 23 year-old fresh off being eliminated from the second season of The Golf Channel's reality show, "The Big Break." Aside from the novelty of Scott being one of only two black contestants, and getting to speak with Eddie Payton (head coach of the HBCU golfing powerhouse Jackson State University and brother of my all-time favorite NFL player, Walter Payton), it was a pretty routine freelance assignment. I got enough material about Scott from that first story to run a follow-up print article about him and the other African American contestant in the African American Golfer's Digest, quarterly sports magazine. Some folks will recall that black people playing professional golf was enormously fascinating in 2005 because of the smashing success of Tiger Woods (and to a lesser extent, Bagger Vance).

Fast forward a few years, and it turns out that Scott is still trying to make it in the world of professional golf, an industry that sometimes seems like a cross between "Dynasty" and "Caddyshack" from afar. Four years after flaming out on the Hooters Tour (they have wonderful wings), Scott once again decided to pursuer a pro career, hacking it out in local tournaments and random minitour events for which he could qualify for. The new venture has brought additional fascinating, or at least interesting, wrinkles to light.

Late last month, local papers in Scott’s Illinois hometown report that his former agent was convicted of swindling over $61,000 from Scott's financial sponsor and others. As awful as this incident may seem, when considered in light of all he has experienced since leaving reality TV over four years ago, the crime is just the tip of the iceberg of the stranger-than-fiction tale of one man's attempt at golfing glory.

Before going further, I feel the need to pause Scott's story for a minute because there is a back-story to my telling his story. Last year, in an attempt to shift my pent-up energy from shutting down my regular blogging and freelance political and sportswriting, I took two local writing workshops, one on "creative nonfiction" and the other on "memoir-writing." The nonfiction workshop was wonderful, and visions of writing the next "A Perfect Storm" continuously danced in my head.

When it came time to write a story to workshop (a familiar assignment to writing seminar veterans), I decided that it would be interesting to dive back into some of the stories from my previous life as a writer and blogger. Coincidentally, I had just received a mass email from Scott Yancy giving an impassioned proclamation of his intentions to get back on the golfing horse, so to speak. Doing a bit more research, I managed to write a story about Scott that was a hit with my workshop mates. In the weeks following that class, I proceeded to craft it with every intention of submitting it for publication. But, somewhere along the way - maybe about the time that I realized that there was a thin line between taking the follow-up memoir-writing workshop and going headlong into psychologically self-therapy - I was struck with a horrible case of writer's block.

Effectively, the 5,000 words I had hammered out on 12 pages stained with virtual ink fizzled out because I felt that my story lacked a tasty hook. A rule of thumb is that all good stories center around conflict, and despite the obvious quirks in Scott’s stories, nothing seemed to pop out a tension worthy of publication. By March of this year, the story was almost totally put on the shelf. Then, after sending one last follow-up email to Scott to assuage my curiosity (and to a degree, my guilt at stringing him along), I received links to the two news articles about his agent’s shenanigans with assurances that he was making yet another attempt at the pro ranks. Needless to say, I finally had my hook.

Scott Yancy’s golf career is continuing, and at least for a moment, my career as a freelance writer covering occasional sports stories will continue as I dig deeper into Scott’s journey.

Coming Attraction: A Walk Nearly Spoiled

2009-04-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

File this under "Think Globally, Blog Locally."

Back in the day, I wrote a piece for the Black Athlete Sports Network about a guy named Scott Yancy. At the time, Scott was an eager 23 year-old fresh off being eliminated from the second season of The Golf Channel's reality show, "The Big Break." Scott's currently trying to hack his way to minor-league golfing success on either the Hooters Tour or Tarheel Tour.

Now, you may be asking why I'm posting this stuff on a blog called "Get Out There, Richmond!"? Well, I live here, my computers are here, my phones that I used to make those long distance interview and research calls is here...and the Hooter's Tour seems to be skipping Richmond this year after teeing it up at Lake Chesdin the last few years just when Scott's heading back to try his had at that circuit.

Another Richmond angle is that Scott tried his hand at the Tarheel Tour last season (generally considered a step below the Hooters set), and he may make another go at it this year. There are three 2009 Tarheel events scheduled for Virginia courses all within earshot of Richmond, including ones in Petersburg/Chester, Farmville and Gordonsville. So, it's sorta, kinda a local story.

Anyway, I won't promise to give John Feinstein a run for his money (nor would I dare harm a hair on that wonderful man because he totally loves my George Mason Patriots), but I will promise to give the story of Scott getting his Roy McAvoy on my best swing. Fore!

Casting One's Lot

2009-02-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

Recently, we've been having a lot of conversations about casting our lot where we are and what that means. Seems to me that the economy has many people casting their lots in places where they never anticipated committing to long term. As for me, one of the more amusing ways I've decided to commit to something has to do with the old cast iron skillets I have recently pilfered from my parents. My folks "had" a collection of cast iron skillets that upon first glance would make you think that fried chicken and pancakes were incorporated into every meal. The funny thing about this is that when my mom did make those dishes that you would normally attribute to cast iron cookware, it was rarely with a cast iron skillet. So, being the liberator that I am, I stole her pots.

For years, I've been trying to become a master of using cast iron cookware, and my efforts have been thwarted at every turn. Maybe it's the carpal tunnel in both wrists that makes the idea of handling that big heavy pan seem completely unappealing. Or, it's probably because I am slightly obsessed with kitchen cleanliness and all the harsh abrasives used on my skillet undid any progress I had made with previous seasoning efforts. Basically, I am a big ole schumck when it comes to treating my cookware right. So, to make the stakes higher, I decided to use my guilt of being a theif to compell me into gettin' right with cast iron and casting my lot with some old school kitchen tools.

So, today I took my first step in recommiting to a life with cast iron. Bascially, I've spent most of my day with Crisco and a low temperature oven seasonining the pans. Of course, my house smells like a den of smoke and grease, but that's what commitment is about- a little bit of sacrifice for great reward. I've also been spending the day checking Black Iron Dude's blog which is dedicated to cast iron cooking. So, now I amped up and ready to go.

Basically, what I am learning is that in these times what was old is new again. Slow cookers are sexy again and not just among the Family Circle set. Heck, I've even figured out how to use my mini-dipper slow cooker for oatmeal. Buying old pans and working to make them useful again is going green at its best. Simply put, we've all got to commit to working a little bit more with what we've got.

So, here's to casting my lot.

- Erika Jones

Going straight to the Source(Book)

2009-02-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

So, Richmond Magazine recently came out with its annual Source Book issue, and they've named their 51 "People to Know" for Metro Richmond in 2009 listed primarily by their neighborhoods. Well, if you flip to page 304, you'll find your's truly listed for real estate area 54. Let's just say that I got a kick out of that listing and my wife grimaced as my head started to expand...

Anyway, I'd been expecting to see the names of the 2-3 other folks whose names I submitted for inclusion, when I found my own. How cool is that? I only hope that I'm worth knowing...

The end of the road...for South of the James:Rebooted

2008-12-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

Coming back to the South of the James blogspot felt a bit like watching Joe Gibbs' recent return to the Redskins - while there were flashes of past glories and a smattering of exciting new elements, in the end, it was woefully mediocre and just didn't measure up. So, like Gibbs, I called it quits before things got even hairier. For the benefit of posterity (or posteriors), I've uploaded the posts from over there to this blog. I'll probably do some intermittent lighthearted blogging over here, so if you're interested swing by from from time to time.

The Commonwealth Chorale...Can you Handel It?

2008-12-03T15:01:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, the Commonwealth Chorale, presented its 2008 program of the eternally-popular "Messiah" by George Frideric Handel (born Georg Frideric Handel in Germany, he became a British citizen and resident later in his adult life) at Farmville's United Methodist Church. The English Oratorio is one of the best-known works of classical music in the world, and the Chorale, primarily composed of singers from Southside Virginia accompanied by instrumentalists from the Petersburg Symphony, regaled the audience with a wonderful rendition of the 29 most familiar selections.

According to its website: The Commonwealth Chorale began, in essence, in the 1970's when the choirs of the the Farmville and Hampden-Sydney College Presbyterian churches, with a small Lynchburg orchestra, presented a highly successful "Messiah." After a 30-year hiatus, Norma Williams, the director, revived and invigorated it, with an official name and non-profit corporate status. It made its debut in 1996 in a performance of Messiah with members of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra.

Choral music junkies know that the entire Messiah has 57 components, making it rare to hear it performed in one sitting. I actually experienced this once in life via the Washington National Cathedral - I get a touch of PTSD just thinking about it. Needless to say, when I saw that they weren't doing the whole thing, I silently proclaimed Hallelujah! Otherwise, we'd probably still be there.

Beyond the music itself, the amazing thing about this group is that the singers primarily come from one the most rural parts of Virginia, places like Appomattox, Lunenburg, Charlotte, and Fluvanna counties. The area is not typically known as a hotbed of passionate classical music fan-dom, but if you closed your eyes, you'd swear that you were in one of the well-heeled churches in downtown Richmond. With Farmville served by Longwood's NPR affiliate, WMLU, and Chase City playing host to WMVE (a WCVE-FM affiliate), public radio is doing its part to enhance the musical offerings. Classical and jazz can now be heard amidst the more prevalent country, R&B, gospel and rap heard courtesy of local stations and Richmond/Raleigh area outlets.

Admittedly, I'm a less than objective observer, seeing as how I share some genes with a number of the singers. The highlight of the evening was when the Chorale members dispersed through the crowd to engage us in a sing-along to the Hallelujah Chorus. The spirit must have been moving as I actually sang the entire tenor part from memory.

The Chorale has one more performance left on the 2008 docket - December 14 at 3pm at Buckingham HS. Admission is free, donations are requested, and good music is a guarantee.

A Museum Piece

2008-12-02T20:26:00.000-08:00

Despite all my love for other places, there is one thing about Richmond that I absolutely adore and have since I was child - the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. As a teenager, I used to drive into the city just to go walk the galleries at the museum; as an adult, I can say that I am so much better for it.

As our culture shifts to "new media" and experiences at the touch of a keyboard, it is a rare treat to experience art they way people do in museums. It is wonderful that art is becoming more democratic, but I often think that there was something beautiful and sublime about the tradesman who loved sculpture who could steal away for a few minutes to experience a masterpiece just inches away from his touch made by calloused hands just like his. Perhaps this is some silly quixotic fantasy on my part, but I sometimes think that somewhere in America, there is a lady working in a dry cleaners on Saturday who loves tuning into the Met for a few hours of opera.

Again, maybe fantasies on my part, but I am so grateful that institutions like the VMFA exist to feed my imagination. So, in honor of VMFA and high art for the common man, check out yesterday's "All Things Considered" Segment on the VMFA. It was a wonderful audio postcard that shared with the rest of the world one of our local treasures. Enjoy.

Looking Back: The 2008 Colonial Heights Tornado

2008-12-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

Driving through Colonial Heights these days, you'd be hard pressed to find evidence of tornado damage from a storm that hit 7 months ago. The area eerily saw a similar path of destruction 15 years ago, but unlike Suffolk, the damage was relatively minor. Here are a few photos from that April day.

A few stores were damaged in the strip near South Park Mall. Some were closed for a day, others a week, and some came back online after a month. In the end, the visible winds of the tornado couldn't stop the invisible hand of the free market.

The Medallion Pool & Spa Outlet was among the hardest hit individual businesses. The roof was partially ripped off and cars were roughed up. Today, the store has a spiffy, shiny new sign and other exterior improvements.

Next door to Medallion, the Crater Community Hospice saw its offices take a hit. The folks who help families of the terminally ill deal with the transition of their loved ones into the afterlife are now making a move of their...into Petersburg.

The field house at the city's municipal sports fields saw (relatively) small roof damage and the wind affected some plant life. But, business went on as usual.

Q Scores!

2008-11-28T15:07:00.000-08:00

A few months back, a new barbecue spot, simply named "Q" opened up in Midlothian. Just off Walmart Way across from the Stonehenge development, Q sits on a slice of real estate previously occupied by the San Francisco Bread Company (near the Wine Cellar). Two local foodies - Pigs on the Run and Brandon Fox (via Style Weekly) - do a much better job dishing on the tasty morsels offered up by this new eatery. All that's left to say is that I concur fully and look forward to spending more time and money minding my peas at Q's!

The Write Stuff? Technically Speaking...

2008-11-26T15:26:00.000-08:00

Last month, Wired simply said to stop trying with it's "Twitter, Flickr, Facebook Make Blogs Look So 2004" article. It's been nearly two years since the original South of the James blog ended, ~~and with the inception of its Twitter offspring and "re-booting" of the Blogspot site~~ , it's apparent that technology, terminology, and trends of the business have changed. Circa 2006, bloggers of all stripes were primarily amusing annoyances for journalists, media theorists, legal scholars, corporate executives, and management thinkers. The world of "social networks" was commonly seen as the land of hobbyists or friend-seekers with a big "maybe" given as the response to questions about their utility and sustainability.

The commonly butchered rendition of Moore's Law is that computing performance doubles roughly every 18 months. Hit the web, and you'll see plenty of discussions of the accuracy of the original proposition (transistors doubling every 24 months), revisions offered up by astute observers, and even Mr. Moore's own remix of his 40-year old views. Regardless of who's right, the general contention has weight - IT innovation wanders along at a nice clip leaving folks who step away at a decided disadvantage.

Along those lines, the world of blogging technology has hummed right along. Seeing that this blog was hosted on the oldish Blogger platform led a techie friend to tease about the rekindled site being "so 2006." That's a good point. This blog looks really low-rent compared to the more tech-heavy blogs, and it's not even as purdy as the old SouthoftheJames.com site. The jury is still deliberating on whether an upgrade is in order. Hopefully, the verdict will be rendered soon.

To (Fresh) Market to Market?

2008-11-22T15:08:00.000-08:00

Last year, it was announced that upscale grocer, The Fresh Market, would be adding a second Richmond area outlet in Midlothian. Situated in the former Barnes & Noble space on Huguenot Road, the store is primed to be both an example of the creative reuse of real estate and of the growing sophistication of wallets south of the River. Initially, plans were for the place to open in the fall of 2008, and technically, there are still 5 weeks left in the calendar season.

Now, according to the company website, Fresh Market will enter the Chesterfield scene in early 2009. A casual Google search of "Fresh Market" and "Midlothian" brings a number of hits for job postings for staff at the new store. With both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's open in Short Pump, the Fresh Market will likely keep a few of those shoppers on this side of the river. Add that to the developing Bloom locations and the Joe's Market offerings at Ukrops, and the area's prospects for gourmet foodstuffs look brighter.

Sizzlin' Sales See Satisfaction...

2008-11-19T15:12:00.000-08:00

According to the Roanoke Times, family food favorite Western Sizzlin netted a 19% increase in profits during the last quarter despite lower sales. The Roanoke-based chain now has 7 spots in Virginia, significantly down from a decade ago, and it's main rival, Golden Corral, currently dots more of the Commonwealth's landscape. Still, despite the economic woes, Western Sizzlin's is cooking with grease when it comes to profits.

The land of the potato bar and huge salad buffet holds a special place in the hearts of many middle and working class children of southern Baby Boomers. For many, it was the among the first "sit-down" restaurants we were exposed to. If memory serves, communities like Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, South Boston and Farmville once sizzled with the rib-eyes and t-bones offered up by the usually-friendly staff.

As you or your parents grabbed the dinner tray(s), picked up the obligatory sweet tea (or unsweet for the diabetics), and headed toward the cash register to prepay, the scent of grilling beef (and the occasional chicken) mixed with the cornucopia-like buffet to produce an oddly comforting aroma. Even though you knew that you would overeat and likely end up with gastrointestinal distress, it didn't matter. You were going to eat all that you could.

Now that we're all grown up and many of us have left our ancestral rural homelands for the lush leafy suburbs or hipper cities, our tastes have leaned toward the Outbacks, Ruth's Chris', or even Morton's. Yet, aside from Dad's home grill selections (or Mom's culinary corrections), many of us can credit the Western Sizzlin's (and its ilk) of the world with introducing us to steakhouse eating. That's a job well done....

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2008-11-18T15:14:00.000-08:00

So, my better half kicked her floral design hobby into a side gig (Fleuraworks is the company name) a few months back. She's done a couple of weddings (pictures forthcoming), some individual arrangements for holidays, and a number of door hangings for churches in southern Virginia. Currently, she's got some great-looking Christmas wreaths on sale just in time for the holidays. I don't know about you, but in our 'hood in the 'burbs, lots of folks adorn their doors with seasonal dressings. Sure, you could go to Michael's and Ben Franklin, but why not support a burgeoning local entrepreneur and get a good deal. If you're interested in the selections below, shoot her an email at fleuraworks@gmail.com.

Mixed Grill: Bottega Bistro

2008-11-16T15:15:00.000-08:00

It could be said that food resurrected this blog. Having set aside the mouse for over a year, I walked into one of my favorite local haunts and saw an old restaurant review that I'd done plastered up on the wall. It was right beside the "real" reviews by the writers for the RTD, Style, Richmond mag, and so forth. In addition to a great meal, the friends whom I dined with also got an earful on how cool it was to see my stuff on the wall like that. My wife just rolled her eyes. Needless to say, the staff got a fat tip from me that night. Anyway, after seeing that I could touch the heart of a top-notch chef in such a way, I figured that blogging again was the only way to go...that was a year ago.

Food writing is a tricky business. To the uninitiated, it can read rather stuffy, esoteric, and needlessly fussy. It helps that culinary criticism has reached some level of ubiquity with the advent of reality shows and pop literature (Food TV, Bourdain, Naked Chef, Top Chef, yada yada yada). By the same token, there seems to be a clear delineation of writers - those who are well-educated and experienced in all things food, OR those who love good eats, fancy themselves foodies, and like to pontificate about their meals. I'm in the latter grouping.

Recently, I headed over to Bottega Bistro in the Greater Midlothian area off of Robious and Huguenot Roads. It's tucked away in the Bellgrade shopping center right beside the Ruth's Chris; it's a classy-looking spot with just a hint of formality. Having been to Bottega a few times before, this visit had dual purposes. First, we needed to catch a late-night (for the 'burbs, anything after 9:30pm is late) meal. Second, it was time to render a final up-down-neutral verdict on a place that has the potential for greatness.

Generally speaking, Bottega has received mixed reviews (strangely, I can't seem to find the links), most of which deemed the place decidedly mediocre. But, the ambiance is nice and the staff is always pleasant. The most recent trip wasn't much different than expected, except...

...the soup du jour - a corn & shrimp bisque.

This delicious bowl was not skimpy on the little sea creatures in the least. The corn tasted fresh (not canned), and it had a just-right texture, not too creamy and not too salty. Versus coming up piping hot, it was intensely warm, and I gladly gulped it down. I got the feeling that this was an experimental dish, and I don't know if they intend to make this a permanent menu item. Doing so would be a nice move because the stuff was great.

As for the other food, having done the dinner (okay) and lunch (better) pasta offerings at previous sitting, I decided to try the pizza this time. Having seen the enjoyment of other patrons and had word-of-mouth encouragement about it, it was a low risk move. The "Sicilian Meat" comes with Sopressata, Pepperoni, Prosciutto, Capicola Ham and Sausage with Plum Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella and Provolone Cheeses. Unlike take-out or chain spots, Bottega doesn't load up their pizzas with toppings. This was more gourmet. And, it was a better pick than the entrees. Coming in around 10-12 inches, it's definitely worth the $14 price tag. Because it sat up on the warmer for a few minutes, the crust was soggy, but that was somewhat forgivable because we waltzed into the joint at 10:15pm, just 45 minutes until closing time.

One difference this time was that the normally laid-back and pleasant staff was aggressively attentive...in a good way. They went out of their way to attend to our drink orders, continuously checked up on us, and insisted that we not feel rushed as the 11pm door-closing approached. Seeing as how the place was nearly empty, it would've been easy for them to rush us out the door. But, they were incredibly nice. It's been said that in time of economic trouble, customer service becomes a point of differentiation, especially with luxury goods like dining out. If that's the case, Bottega gets an A+ on this front.

Still, next time, I'll order the pizza earlier in the day to get the full enjoyment. So, it looks like the verdict is in - Bottega is worth a next time.

A Sirius Issue

2008-11-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

It's probably due to the fact that I feel too old to give a crap, but the overnight mash-up of Sirius and XM channels seems to be going relatively okay for me. I became part of the satellite radio family after keeping the party going once my 3-month trial subscription expired (remember the 1st round of GM "Employee Discount" promotions?). Frankly, I haven't looked back since and have become a minor celebrity in my social circle.

A lot of ink has been spilled about the coming doom representing by the XM-Sirius merger, especially for DC-based XM fans who saw a centerpiece of their (curiously odd-sounding SoHo knockoff) neighborhood-cum-economic development district fall victim to corporate M&A leftovers. From my perch south of the James, this new thing of ours ain't half bad.

Because I'm glass-half-full news junkie who already suffered through XM's circumcising MSNBC from its line-up, I'm pretty darn satisfied to have the NPR and couple of Canadian (different, eh?) channels. I also checked out the music channels (my classical music training and inner-country bumpkin rear their heads every now and again), and I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. However, I must admit to being a Johnny-come-lately to the whole Radiohead and Jason Mraz phenomenons. Can a brotha get some U2-knockoff Coldplay for a minute?

Wasting away again in Biscuitville...

2008-11-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

A good friend recently tipped me to the fact that the upscale Dixie lifestyle mag, Garden & Gun (motto: Soul of the New South), has featured the wonderful Biscuitville chain in its latest issue. Giving it props in their "100 Southern Foods You Absolutely, Positively Must Try Before You Die" article, G&G turns on its readers to what many residents of northern & central North Carolina and a few lucky souls in Central & Southside Virginia already knew: Biscuitville is one of God's gifts to the stomachs of the upper Southern US.

The magazine entry says, "Most grab-and-go biscuits suck. Even Hardee’s, which jump-started the trend, now serves pitiful pucks. Not so Biscuitville, a family-owned enterprise with fifty locations in North Carolina and Virginia. Biscuitville is a fast-food chain. No apologies there. It fries and dumps hash brown planks, just like McDonald’s. But Biscuitville is also a living history exhibit. Chances are good that you’ll spy an apron-clad woman in the kitchen as you stand in line for your bacon- and egg-stuffed behemoth. She’ll look like someone’s grandmother. And she’ll be stirring together buttermilk, flour, and shortening. Cutting rounds of dough. And baking honest biscuits."

Having done a summertime tour-of-duty at a Hardee's nearly 15 years go, it's easy to attest to the then-legendary status of their buttermilk biscuits (the cinnamon-raisin ones were no joke). Those commercials showing little old ladies coming in to whip up a batch was a vision of reality - they were actually there, real sweethearts. Working the 5am-2pm shift (especially on Saturdays) was a real pain, but those biscuits (and that sweet tea) made it worth the trouble...until I found Biscuitville. As we say in the South, that's a whole 'nother story.

First, Biscuitville's got 30 zillion different concoctions of biscuits. Ham, fried chicken, gravy biscuit, steak, grilled chicken, and yes, even a pork chop biscuit. A PORK CHOP BISCUIT!!! Second, they've got a great drive-thru set-up so you don't even have to leave the car to get your biscuit fix; actually, it helps because can keep jumping in line until you're filled up with bready goodness. Third, you can get grits as a side item, a fast-food side item. Normally, the only mass availability for grits is at the SOTJ sit-down favorite, Le Barrel du Cracker...The thought of a pork chop biscuit with a side of grits and sweet tea is enough to send me on a 2-hour road trip to the nearest B'ville, which just happens to be in Danville, VA where the staff recently advertised the newest fancy menu item - iced coffee.

As of now, there is no B'ville east of Danville/Lynchburg, which is a real shame. There's always room for a good, piping-hot, buttery biscuit if your mom's not around to make them. The chain even has a growing social network following with 5 Facebook fan groups with nearly 1,000 members among them. Google "biscuitville" and over 45,000 hits show up.

According to the company website, all of the outlets are company owned and not franchised for now. But, once they do decide to let others in on the fun, I know a few "investors" who'll gladly join the Biscuitville family.

Veni, Vidi...Venti?

2008-11-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

So, despite my best efforts, it looks like Starbucks suffered a major profit-loss in the Q4 reporting period. Apparently, despite making a number of changes to their offerings and operations, the company sputtered along with lower same-store sales and revenue reductions. Back in the summer, the java giant announced massive numbers of store closures. The Metro Richmond area was thankfully spared as a number of new stores have opened up in the past 2-3 years.

Starbucks has always presented an interesting dilemma. While definitely not offering the quality and tastiness of local coffeehouses (these two are particularly yummy), it did bring upper scale caffeine experiences to the masses. Despite the tendency toward McLatte, it remains a wonderful gateway to the world of better coffee for the more adventurous of the Sanka set (I turned in my instant brew card a few years back).

Notably, the lines at the stores around here seem longer, and there are also more "help wanted" signs in the stores begging for baristas to work flexible shifts. On Election Day, there were more grumpy people in the lines at Starbucks waiting for their free tall house blend than there were at the overloaded poll locations nearby waiting for the change to pull those levers of democracy. Gourmet and faux-gourmet coffee are definite luxury goods, and with gas prices being much cheaper than the espresso offerings from the Pacific Northwest, finding new profits could be as elusive as finding Bigfoot.

Rewind: Blogging in the ‘burbs

2008-11-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

"I do think the quality which makes a man want to write and be read is essentially a desire for self-exposure and is masochistic." - James Jones (hat tip: Fishbowl DC)

With apologies to the novelist Jones, there are far more altruistic motives for embarking on a journey of the written word. Granted, there are those who have a "look-at-me" quality, particularly in the blogosphere, but the fact remains that plenty of folks spill print or digital ink for more noble causes. Essentially, this blog occupies the virtual real estate in the Richmond suburbs that has been mostly left untilled. For about a year, Scott Pharr & Co tried to hold it down on this side of the river via Chesterfield Daily. CD did an admirable job of applying the very popular community blogging model pioneered by the RVANews crew, but in talking to Scott, it was too much for him to maintain. It looks like the RVA shops in the city fared a bit better.

A few months back, much coverage was given to the Pew Trusts-funded "Project for Excellence in Journalism Report On Citizen Journalism Sites." That report studied communities across the US and found that "Richmond, Virginia, was the most developed community of citizen journalism sites" they could find. Taking at look at the region's top aggregator - RVABlogs - there are currently 364 in play. However, most of these seemed focused on individual, community, corporate and political life inside Richmond city proper with some spillover into Henrico (I am a big fan of Petersburg People's News).

It's easy to write-off the suburbs as not ready for (blogging) prime time. In his shout-out about the return of this blog, Jon Baliles noted that the county doesn't get him too excited. That's understandable as most folks don't necessarily head to the manicured lawns, strip malls, and planned communities for a taste of the wild side. However, that doesn't mean that life in the 'burbs is an instant or constant bore.

The majority of Americans live in suburbs, despite the mad dash back to the center cities that started in the late 1990s. Metro Richmond is no different, with Chesterfield, Henrico, and Hanover dominating the population and demographic scene (Richmond has seen an uptick in in-migrants). This means that the essential character of the New Richmond is more than a touch suburban. According to a local market research firm, our region is essentially Middle America, a new Peoria of sorts. Coming closer to home, Chesterfield County weighs in at just over 300,000 residents, making it the 4th or 5th largest locality in Virginia (behind the counties of Fairfax and Prince William and the city of Virginia Beach and neck-and-neck with Loudoun). From where I sit, any community with over 1/4 million folks living in it has got to have something worth talking about.

Trading Extra Low Prices for Extra High Style in West Chesterfield?

2008-11-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

So, the local Food Lion on Hull Street posted a sign noting that, come 2009, it will make the transition from the friendly, neighborhood value spot into an upscale Bloom. Called "a different kind of grocery store," the Bloom chain has a number of stores in the Commonwealth. The website notes 7 locations in the Fredericksburg area and 2 in Williamsburg, and store officials proclaim that:

"Bloom looks unlike any grocery store you’ve ever seen: from the moment you pull up in the parking lot, to the second the door swishes open, you know that you are about to enjoy a completely new shopping experience. Then, once you’re inside, you will soon notice that everything is different. The lighting, the layout, even the staff. It's warm, it's friendly, it's inviting. The associates want to help you. They smile. They clearly want you to feel at home. It’s then that you begin to believe, that Bloom really is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, so come in and Shop Happy."

Owned by Food Lion, the Bloom concept was born in North Carolina and apparently tested well enough to sprout up throughout the Coastal South and Mid-Atlantic regions. According one cashier, she and others will retain their jobs "as long as we meet Bloom's standards," because the company is seeking "Ukrop's quality at Food Lion's Prices." Expect the store to undergo the initial process of renovation to fit the design some time soon.

Located in a strip mall not far from the under-construction Hancock Village, the Bloom store will surely add to the on-going retail transformation of the western Chesterfield's Hull Street corridor, growth fertilized by the steadily-climbing disposable income of the surrounding subdivisions.

Something about that name?

2008-11-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

So, Media General bought Richmond.com and the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth (see the comments) ensured. Sure, it's a shake-up in the local media scene, but it makes sense to me. Look, the geodomain game is quite popular, and Virginia seems to be ahead of the game in terms of big media companies hopping on the geodomain trend. MG's in-state rival, Landmark Communications, owns HamptonRoads.com, Norfolk.com and Roanoke.com. The first two sites are powered by content from the Virginian-Pilot, and the third feeds off the Roanoke Times and related content.

To me, the surprise isn't so much that the MG/RTD did this, it's that more mass media outlets haven't made similar moves. Looking at the Associated Cities network - the national group for place-specific domains - it doesn't appear that a lot of other papers or broadcast have gotten on board this name game, ceding territory to travel & tourism sites.

By far, the most interesting response to this situation comes from a local blog that is very familiar with real estate, physical and virtual - the804.com. That site lays out a number of strategic and tactical moves that local alt.media mavens can take to capitalize on the opportunity. John Sarvay also shares in sage visions on what this all means. And, the good folks at Tobacco Avenue had what may be the funniest take on things (put your drink down first)...for the record, if anyone wants to buy southofthejames.com (the old spot) or southofthejames.org , I'll be happy to replenish my 401k plan with your cash!

Because that Navy dude kissed that nurse lady...we end up with this blog?

2008-11-04T15:30:00.000-08:00

Dipping into the world of business blogging (again), it's good to see Richmond blogfather Jim Bacon ramp up the productivity at the Boomer Consumer blog. Ostensibly, this is a site to promote the services and insights of The Boomer Project, a market research outfit north of the River, and this group has had its finger on the pulse of the Baby Boomer generation for quite awhile. For Gen Xers, they help solve the Will Smithian riddle of why parents just don't understand.

The latest post lobs a small rhetorical grenade at the "greedy, grasping children" that apparently plague Boomers across the Pond. It wonders aloud whether the trend of Generations X, Y, and Millenial mooching off their parents well after reaching adulthood will invade American shores. It's an interesting conversation that has all kinds of socioeconomic implications. Still, on a personal level, I'm wondering if I've given myself the short end of the stick by not hitting my folks up for cash. Oh well, there's still time!

Calling Tyrone...A Husky Departure for an okay coach

2008-11-03T15:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, I hate being right. Really. Nearly 4 years ago, I penned a piece for the Black Athlete Sports Network titled, "From Good To Great: Why the Legend Of Tyrone Willingham Must Become Reality." In that piece, I explored the career of the then newly-fired-turned-hired Washington Huskies football coach. Sports fans will recall that he got somewhat of a raw deal from Notre Dame, dumped after 3 years of his 5 year contract - the first time the Golden Domers had done such to a head-man.

My article tacitly noted that Willingham was basically playing above his head at ND, that he was a good, not great coach. Further, I asserted that if the man was to live up to the hype - going beyond the militaristic demeanor and academic successes to producing an actual winner on the field - he'd need to step up his game. Interestingly, I got some emails from UW alums after writing that piece that wondered the same.

Well, after nearly four years of futility, his Pacific Northwest adventure is coming to an end. 11-33 just didn't cut it, and he's not won a game yet in 2008 (0-8 as of now). For a school that has a national title in its history, winning games in the Willingham era has been harder than finding Bigfoot. Honestly, they're among the worst programs in the FBS. It's a shame that a great school and a good man couldn't make decent football happen.

Washington has the resources and legacy to draw a good quality coach who can make the team competitive with in-state recruiting, PAC-10 play, and eventually, post-season bowl games. They'll be fine. The question becomes what's next for Willingham? Given his connection to the late Bill Walsh and the powerful West Coast offense coaching tree, the NFL may be a place for him to seek refuge. The intense, distant professionalism that ran afoul of big-time donors would work well in land of Belichicks. He may get another shot at a less-pressing, lower-tier college (a la Frank Solich). Indeed, he's got options.

Regardless, what I said four years ago would likely still ring true: "The man, the myth and the legend must become one. Otherwise, he'll simply be just another good football coach, not the great coach in whom many high hopes rest."

The Cordial Cricket: Blogging makes this business anything but "stationery"

2008-11-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

These days, blogging in the political realm in on the verge of being cliched or at least passe. Everybody - campaigns, media companies, political parties, lobbyists and average Joes (plumbers and otherwise) - is hitting the blogosphere to drop news, give opinion, attack opponents or just mouth off. I'm not going to hate on them because, hell, political blogging has paid dividends for me (see: employment). But, if you look at the world wide web through the lens of political blogging, it's easy to feel like you've come to the end of the "Internets." Fortunately for web junkies, that's oh so untrue.

Business is the engine that drives our world, whether we be workers, consumers, investors and/or owners. As such, the world of commerce and industry is the true brave new world for social media. Back in 2005, no higher an authority than BusinessWeek declared that "Blogs Will Change Your Business." Oh were they ever so right.

A few months back, they updated that theme to the notion that "Social Media Will Change Your Business" to accomodate the Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace phenomenons. Basically, if you've only been trolling political and media blogs, you're dismissing business blogging at your peril. At the very least, even if BW and others are over playing the issue, they still have great search engine optimization technology at their discretion (google "social media business" and that BW piece is first up in the hopper).

The cool thing about the potential for blogging, social networks and the array of social media in the business world is that it really helps firms play out the "think global, act local" mantra. Even for the single-shop business owner, the potential is limited. A great example of this is a local shop located (you guessed it), south of the James River - The Cordial Cricket in Chester.

A 3 year-old business, The Cordial Cricket opened up a few months ago in the heart of Chesterfield's new urbanist Chester Village Green development. Part of the Festival Park section, owner Elizabeth Howard hesitantly packed up her Old Towne Petersburg shop (Paper With Style) and moved a few miles north to the larger, more modern confines of this vibrant suburban community. She rebranded the store as The Cordial Cricket (due to some pesky legal mumbo-jumbo) and hit the ground running.

In the interest of full disclosure, Elizabeth and her husband are friends of mine, and I've shared my views on the utility of business blogging to her.

Elizabeth totally gets the logic behind opening up her business to the possibilities of the 'Net. Wanting to go beyond her in-store confines (local), she opened up an online sales site (global) that can reach anyone, anywhere. It's easy for a business owner to simply use their web presence to peddle inventory seeing as how it's a free country and all. But, there is value to be gained by going further, and from the looks of things, Elizabeth "gets it" as well. The Cordial Cricket family now has new addition - a business blog.

Like other store-related blogs, the CC blog is more than just pimping the paper products. It will delve into the entire world of paper, hoping to become a destination site for enthusiasts. It's anybody's guess as to whether this will work in the long run, but given the low costs and potential for creativity, it's definitely worth a shot. The bottom line is that social media are here to stay, and if the methods catch fire in the business world, who knows where our economic relationships could end up. Either way, I get a feeling that businesses like The Cordial Cricket will be chirping right along.

Celestial Eating? Aurora appears in the East (Grace Street, that is)

2008-10-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for good, and interesting, lunch spots, especially in and around downtown Richmond (and good coffee, too). Well, I recently swung by the relatively new eat spot - Aurora (401 E. Grace St) - to check out their offerings. Last week, Style offered a snippet into what the place is about, and with it being a quick walk for me, I figured that I'd give it a shot.

Without belaboring the point, the first impressions were pretty good. Their espresso packs a punch but has a nice smooth taste. I've been on a Cafe Mocha kick lately hitting various spots to compare (Cafe Gutenberg, Globehopper, Lift, Panera, Starbucks). This was the most interesting one from a taste perspective, and it wasn't so hot as to burn the crap out of my mouth.

The lunch menu is a mix of salads, soups, entrees, and sandwiches, but I chose the lunch buffet option. I admit that I'm still in recovery from my trip to an all-inclusive Caribbean resort, thus buffets have a special place in my heart. Still, the attentive staff billed this as "not your typical salad bar," and they were most assuredly correct. This was a decidedly different array of options compare to typically pedestrian buffet troughs, with items such as wilted spinach, shrimp gazpacho, deviled eggs, roasted gourds & mushrooms, chopped veggies, etc. Unless you like to gorge yourself at lunch, the selections should suffice for most folks, and it's pretty cheap for gourmet. Tacking on soup still keeps the buffet under $10, and with that soup being a tasty lobster bisque, it's an even better deal. I'm sure that my arteries weren't happy, but my stomach was.

The most intriguing part of the experience has to be the dessert portion whereby European-trained pastry chef Scott Davison brings his From Scratch Bakery to downtown. For those who hang a bit further south of the River, you'll recognize the offerings from the pastry section at Petersburg's Java Mio. Davison also provided dinner service for the Cockade City's multi-culti arts venue Sycamore Rouge for awhile, where he created what may be the greatest crab cakes in history. Admittedly, I was never been a big fan of the pastries in the case at Java Mio though I do recall the Sycamore Rouge dessert offerings being better. Thus, I ordered the pecan pie with trepidation. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised - it was damn good pie...southern Grandmama good!

According to the waitstaff, the Euro/NYC design will be enhanced with some experimental artwork adorning the walls...and a couple of bars serving the strong stuff. Not being a paid food writer, I've got to cover the restaurant bills on my own, but, I have a sneaky suspicion that I'll have plenty of occasions to check out the rest of the menu and the new ambiance.

Sports and the End of the English Language: Because Jamie Beth Schindler Read My Mind...

2008-10-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm really being driven batty listening to or reading sports media. The continuous butchering of the English language by sportswriters, commentators, and others is reaching infuriating proportions. Part of the reason I briefly took up sports-writing (2004-06) was to prevent myself from being driven insane. Granted, I'm not a lit major, but dammit, I surely remember my K-12 years well.

Here are just a few things that drive me crazy:

1. Byes - according to Merriam-Webster, a bye "is the position of a participant in a tournament who advances to the next round without playing." In other words, it's what the top seeds get come playoff time - a week where they can chill while the other folks knock themselves out to who gets to play against the bye-enriched squad. It is not what happens when the 'Skins don't play a game during a particular week; that's called an "off-week."

2. Gutty, Vaunted, Stout - these are assuredly the most overused words in all of sportsdom. Seriously, if you offered sports media types cash in exchange for not saying these during a broadcast, news article, and such, you'd still have all your money at the end of it all. I admit that people tend to use correct grammar, but it's annoying at how repetitive it gets with these words.

3. Walk-off (home run) - this just sounds stupid. I know it's legit, but I'm an old baseball card collector when they were called "game-winning" home runs.

This completes my evening rant. It was a gutty attempt and composing vaunted sportswriting via my stout blog. Now, I will walk off and take a bye before my next blog posting....

From narcissist to humble applepicker

2008-10-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

So, apparently, the lovely folks at the University of Georgia have determined that certain kinds of Facebook users - those who "choose glamorous, self-promoting pictures for their main profile photos" - are prime candidates for narcissism. Needless to say, I was shocked when I read this, some 3 weeks after it was first announced. I guess that I was too absorbed in watching my reflection in the mirror to notice.

Of course, like any good narcissist, I immediately did the falsely modest thing - I replaced my b&w headshot with snapshot of me picking apples on Carter's Mountain. See, I feel more humble and less self-absorbed already...no need for meds. This article is published in the October issue of the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, but I haven't read it yet. I was too busy admiring myself.

Anyway, after feeling really bad, I realize that it wasn't my fault. That glamour shot was the product of my Sorensen education, thus I guess they were enabling me all along. See, it's their fault!

At any rate, I'm happy to proceed from here with my blue-collar apple-picker picture. The one that shows my Blackberry attached to my hip.

Edel-Wine?

2008-10-11T16:39:00.000-07:00

o, at the brand spankin' new Short Pump Whole Foods, this bottle of Rosé was billed as a rose for white or red wine drinkers. In other words, it's aimed at those who fashion themselves as wine snobs who'd never be caught dead with a glass of blush (what we Americans call the pink stuff). Well, I can see why.

Unlike some poorly-made Rose, the 2007 Tegernseerhof Zweigelt Rosé produced in Austria, was crisp, dry with a nice fruity smell. It was definitely not on the sweeter end. We had it with boneless pork chops (my dump recipe using apple cider, orange marmalade plus herbs & spices) that were on the spicy side (thank you dried red pepper powder), and it paired really well. It complimented but was not overshadowed by the meat. The Zweigelt grape is a red varietal that is apparently the top grape in Austria (cue the Sound of Music...). If you're a nerd like me, you'll enjoy the fascinating story via our friends at Wikipedia.

The other upsides of this wine is that it's under $10 and comes with a screw top. And, the bottle is pretty. I didn't take the time to search for a rating, but if I were scoring this wine, I'd give it at least a solid 80 out of 100. But, I'm not into ratings....yet!

Enjoy.

Wine Rewind

2008-10-07T15:59:00.000-07:00

When I packed up that other blog, the one thing I truly regretted was ending my nascent wine-blogging. Folks that know me have dealt with my wannabe connoisseurship for 10 years (only since I've been legal). I hope to turn this site into a repository for reviews on the glasses and bottles that come my way...like the tasty bottle of 2006 Concannon Sauvignon Blanc I picked up yesterday for under $10 at the Le Kroger (the label description is dead-on).

In the meantime, here's a blast from the past:

Wine-ing down 2006…good to the last drop

Green with Envy: Frey Vineyards 2004 Organic Zinfandel Surprises

Drinking in the White Power!…I mean the wines, y’all

None Such Blog? I'm Back. Sort of. Again.

2008-10-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

Now, it may seem rather arrogant of me to borrow from Capt. Smith when writing a freakin' blog post. But, that's the beauty of the 'sphere. We can (within reason for some of us) assume terribly presumptuous postures in exercising that free speech thing. Anyway, enough pontification.

This is my lame-o attempt at getting back in the world of blogs. Because of my job, I can't go back down the roads once traveled (note: I'm really into using cliched allusions). If you don't understand why that is, sorry. But, I can proffer thoughts about random, nonpolitical topics, within reason. Self-editing has always been my shtick.

I also tried "micro-blogging" via Twitter, and it's not too bad. But, honestly, sometimes a brotha wants to say more than what 140 characters allows! So, here goes nothing. Or something. Whatever. Again.

Let's Take A Long Walk

2008-08-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

If you are a Jill Scott fan, you know the rest of this lyric "Let's take a long walk." Well, today we did just that- took a long walk, around the park- no not after dark.

This summer, we've been super busy, but one of the little indulgences we've been enjoying this is our local park system. In keeping with today's sermon on a spirit of gratitude, I am so grateful to live in a place with people who love parks, nature, and trails. Recently, we've been spending time at three of our local parks here in Chesterfield- the Midlothian Mines, Rockwood, and Henricus. Because of our little walks in the park, I've learned so much about all the natural beauty we have in our own back yard.

If you love the river, check out the new bridge built on the 4.4 mile hiking trail at Dutch Gap/ Henricus. The trail is all gravel, long, and goes through the woods, so it's not for the easy stroller. For those who love to watch nature, check out the Midolthian Mines. This park is a combination of a loop around a small pond and a walk in the woods. Some of the friendliest people and their dogs hang out at this park, and it is a great place to watch kids become enthralled by sunbathing turtles. There is nothing like the wonder of childhood. Finally, if you really want to go for a walk in the woods, Rockwood is the place to go.

All of these parks are jewels, but on a serious note, walk with a buddy. They are all wooded and no place to be alone. Yes, it's sad that we can't enjoy nature on our own and that we live in hyper paranoid environment, but the truth is the truth. Bring a friend and share a good conversation. Stay quiet for a few minutes and enjoy the sounds of nature with someone else.

" Let's take a long walk around the park after dark/ Find a spot for us to spark/ Conversation, verbal elation, stimulation/ Share our situations, temptations, education, relaxations / Elevations, maybe we can talk about Surah 31:18."

Netroots Rising interview with Conaway Haskins

2008-07-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

Late in 2007, my friend Lowell Feld, auteur of Blue Virginia (the blog formerly-known as "Raising Kaine"), interviewed me for the well-regarded political book he co-authored, Netroots Rising. This full interview provided fodder for the book (look Ma, I made the index of a real, live book...sweet!)...

Conaway Haskins on the Webb Netroots Victory, July 14, 2008

Conaway Haskins runs the South of the James blog, currently on hiatus. Currently, Haskins works as Deputy State Director for Sen. Jim Webb.

Feld: What do you think were the most significant elements that came together to produce such a strong grassroots/netroots movement for Jim Webb?

Haskins: At the end of the 2005 statewide campaign in Virginia, there was a lot of Democratic and progressive political energy leftover as a result of Tim Kaine’s strong victory. The razor-thin losses in the 2 down-ballot races also helped give Democrats the confidence that Virginia was inching back into competitiveness. At the same time, George Allen remained the most unpopular Republican among true-blue Virginia Democrats, who were totally sickened at the thought of him being a serious 2008 presidential candidate. Thus, the environment was ripe for a Democrat with the right profile to make some noise and possibly knock Allen out of the Senate. Jim Webb was uniquely positioned as that Democrat, and the bottom-up nature of his approach resonated with Virginia’s netroots.

Feld: How do you see the Webb netroots movement as compared to past movements. like Wes Clark’s and Howard Dean’s?

Haskins: The Webb netroots was actually an ironic blend of the Dean and Clark netroots activists in Virginia. A great deal of Webb supporters, and even some campaign staffers, had been involved with both 2004 campaign efforts in Virginia and elsewhere. Those folks, along with other like-minded individuals concerned about the declining state of our nation, came together in 2006 to form the backbone of the Webb volunteer core – the Webb netroots.

Feld: What do you think were the greatest successes and greatest failures of the “Draft” and the grassroots/netroots Webb movement in general?

Haskins: I know it’s rather simplistic, but in politics, success is about winning and failure is about losing. We won, so by that metric, this was a huge success.

Feld: How valuable/effective do you believe the grassroots pro-Webb blogs and Yahoo groups were. What about the pro-Allen blogs?

Haskins: The pro-Webb blogosphere was amazingly effective and as weapons in the Democratic arsenal. Frankly, the Webb bloggers led the mainstream media to water on several important stories, and out-foxed their GOP counterparts. One word – macaca – is emblematic of that. The pro-Allen blogosphere was mostly ineffectual because they mindlessly regurgitated campaign and GOP talking points. The attacks leveled at Webb’s books were clear examples of this; they just couldn’t get it together.

Feld: How would you describe the meeting between the “bottom up” draft and the “top-down” professional campaign people after Jim Webb announced? Specifically, how do you believe the grassroots/netroots was integrated - or not - with the “professional” campaign.

Haskins: The intersection of pros and amateurs in the Webb effort was unique in Virginia political history. Because it lacked financial resources and got started later than what is customary, the campaign heavily utilized volunteers in many capacities. On some occasions, the volunteers simply freelanced doing what they felt was best. The authenticity of the Webb movement – the Jacksonian populist element – called for a certain amount of organic, spontaneous social action and too much integration would have hurt.

Feld: Throughout the Webb campaign, there was tension to varying degrees between the netroots/grassroots and the professional campaign. In your view, what were the causes of those tensions and how important were they in each campaign? Do you believe that the Webb campaign was more effective at integrating the netroots/grassroots than other campaigns?

Haskins: Politics is not about singing “Kum-ba-yah” around the campfire. It’s serious business that entails a natural amount of tension. This campaign was no different. With all due respect to Connecticut, the Webb netroots is the best that American has seen to date because Webb won.

Feld: What lessons should the netroots learn from the Webb experience?

Haskins: The key to this was the authenticity of Jim Webb himself. Trying to go out and replicate the 2006 effort without having a candidate with genuine appeal and real story to tell won’t work.

Feld: Do you believe that the rise of the netroots will continue in 2007 and 2008, and if so, how will it manifest itself (e.g., a decline in the power of the political consultants and top-down media model?).

Haskins: I believe that that netroots will rise, if and only if, it seeks to be better integrated into every element of the Democratic Party. That means being collaborative even when the natural inclination is to be Long Rangers. Consultants and media types will always have power, especially in the high-dollar system we have in this country. But, the netroots can do things that the pros can’t, which will diffuse the power base. In the long run, a certain level of netroots maturation is in order in terms of adjusting to the realities of politics and governance without falling victim to cynicism. Idealism is a great motivator, and Lords knows the netroots is chock full of idealists; but, pragmatic application of skills and abilities is what wins races. The netroots must remember that revitalizing our democracy is a marathon, not a sprint.

False Starts: Um, Politics is still not on my menu

2008-05-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I lamely attempted to start up my own food-n-fun blog called Eat.Drink.Play.Richmond. My thinking was that since my other half hadn’t really updated her blog in awhile, I would hang out my own shingle and see if I could do better. Well, I was wrong and after one unceremonious post, and putting the url on my Facebook page, I’ve decided to cease and desist.

So, I’ll be blogging over here at “Get Out There, Richmond!” instead (like I said I would 18 months ago).

Call it a modified honey-do list if you like, or call it coming to my senses, but as she who runs this show noted, why duplicate something that’s already out there. So, here I go again, though not on my own (all due apologies to Whitesnake).

It's been awhile since I last hit the blogosphere, and most folks know that I stepped aside to pursue professional opportunities. Frankly, that’s been a lot of fun, but I missed blogging. Deciding to take another bite of the apple, so to speak, I'll be writing in a different direction. Right before I shut down South of the James, I dabbled in wine writing and gave my two cents on various interesting local eateries (I’ll post those up soon just to refresh your memories). It was lighter fare (okay, I'm really bad with puns), amidst a sea of primarily political punditry. When I saw one of my posts on the wall of my favorite local seafood spot, I started thinking about joining the ranks of Richmond's amateur foodies.

Basically, my approach to writing this time around will be simple: I like to eat, I like to drink, and I love to write. I took my first bites and first hits of the (baby) bottle back over 30 years ago. 225 pounds and 4 gym memberships later, it's just more fun to eat and drink really great stuff than to worry with all that healthy nonsense.

I’ll cover a mix of topics, mostly related to food, wine, and fun stuff in and around Metro Richmond and other interesting places. In all honestly, Erika is much more of a foodie than me, what with her magazines, cookbooks, random recipes on note cards, and all that jazz. I love watching Top Chef and what not, but I’m still figuring that sweetbreads ain’t all that sweet…and sure as hell ain’t bread if you get my drift.

On a technical note, I hope to add to the array of content on this blog and to update it with more regularity as well. Since Erika started it, GOTR has had a fascinating readership and was definitely food for thought (sorry) for the River City and surroundings. However, due to a really, really interesting new pursuit, her blogging tailed off. Maybe if it all works out right, you'll get to see some of the reasons why she scaled things back a bit.

Because I'm not a food expert, I have no delusions that my contribution to this blog will be anything near what I did on South of the James…and, I'm totally cool with that. So, here goes....

Gimme Shelter: A Year End Round Up

2007-12-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

So, if I had to think of a word that best sums up 2007 for me, it would be "shelter". But, as I look over the year with respect to art, entertainment, and food, you could say for much of Richmond, shelter, more like shelter stability, has been hard to find. So, here's a rundown
If I were a matchmaker- Yes, I, like you, read the Back Page of Style about Jumpin' J's, and it was sad indeed. The story left me with a lot of questions- mostly about what really happened, but then I started thinking about a perfect little place for J's to relocate. Well, perfect is very subjective since I know this suggestions will make my city slicker friends groan. But, for those of us on the Southside, this could be a great opportunity.

Chester Perk at Chester Village Green is "For Rent". Now frankly, I am not sure what that means since the building looks like it is owned by the development company. Nevertheless, "for rent" is our opportunity. If I could force an arranged marriage, this would be the one. Yes, I know, the funky, hip Church Hillness of Jumpin' J's would be gone and this would likely be a shotgun wedding. But, Richmond city's loss should be Chesterfield's gain. Look, I've dealt with local government in Chesterfield. Heck, I've rolled up into an office at 4:45pm looking for plats, and every time, I've been greeted with warmth and kindness. So, come on J, jump across the river. You will be taken care of.

The House of Sand and Fog- Some of you might remember all my blubbering about Jack's and my wanting it to be something special. Well, it looks like it's "Goodnight, Irene" for ole' Jack's. I don't know what happened, but it is gone. So, gone. Maybe someone will come along and open something cool there. But, the Sonic next door with all it's glowing neon and drive-thru glam tells me otherwise.

Go west, young man!- Last year, Cafe Caturra (Part 2), lived way up 360, and this year it has moved to Midlothian. That was so smart.

When I think of Home- I know Style gave, Living Word (now The African American Repertory Theater) mixed reviews, but from where I stand, the organization has come a long way. You've heard me swoon over "Joe Turner". So, you know where I stand. For me, the greatest accomplishment this group has made this year is deciding to establish itself as the area's leading African-American Theater venue. In many ways, this is extremely important and what I hope will be the first step in a prosperous future. As a community, we need this company to succeed, and this company needs the community to stand behind it.

So, in summary 2007 has been an interesting year, indeed. Hope you have a happy new year and here's to good stuff in '08.

While You Were Out.. . .

2007-09-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been such a long time. . . Funny thing, when things take a long time there is usually a reason why. For me, it's been a series of transitions, both professionally and personally, that have just kept me too tied up to post anything. Maybe it was the job, or the new hobbies, or the dastardly carpal tunnel. . . All in all, life has been pretty busy and full. While I was a way, I did get a chance to have some memorable and some not so memorable meals, theater, etc. So, since brevity is the key to wit, here is the quick and dirty. . .

Closings- Remember my hopes for Jack's on Hull St. Well, despite my prayers, Jack's has become a victim to restaurant closure. Maybe the new Arby's on Hull Street will fill the void (insert loud sigh here). Seriously, Jack's wreaked of death and possible failure. So, it wasn't a shock to find the lights dimmed and the sign removed. In many ways, I feel like the spray paint artist who runs around the city leaving suggestions on what shuttered locations should be turned into. My message to Jack's would be, "A small bistro/dinner should be here. Please, keep your chains. We have enough."

On the Side of the Road- My new favorite family Italian restaurants is actually way on the other side of town. If you want the feeling of stepping into a Jersey eatery but in rural Virginia, you need to go to Dinwidee- right off Rt. 1- to Giuseppe's. The service is wonderful. The marinara is mean, and the staff seems to care if you liked your meal. Yes, this place feels like it straight out of Friday-night football but don't sleep on the pasta.

Out of Towners- In August, we spent a few days in D.C. which is a whole other story in and of itself. While in D.C. we met friends at a great fusion restaurant in Chinatown called Zengo. If you are ever headed up for a concert or game at the Verizon Center, this is worth a stop. We could have sufficed on appetizers and drinks alone. . . Try the mojito with cucumber- truly a great summer drink.

Sycamore Rougue- Yes, I know, I should move to P-burg since all my talk about the place is bordering on fetish. Month's ago, I got a chance to see "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill". For the final time, people, "SUPPORT THIS THEATER COMPANY". We bought a subscription this year, and honestly, it is the best local arts investment we've made all year. SR is getting ready to begin a run of Six Degrees. So, get on down to P-burg.

The Thing I Hate About Musicals. . . - It's the damn singing. Ok, all jokes aside, this summer, I got a chance to see "Into the Woods" at Barksdale. Barksdale doesn't have a warm vibe, per se, but the production was great. I was impressed with the stagging and how every inch of space was so well used. If only they could do something about all those songs. . . Damn you , Sondheim!

Upcoming- One of the things that has taken up a lot of my time are the classes that I've been taking. I am taking my second floral design class, and having a blast. All that said, I have to plug an event. . .October 11th is the first day of Flowers and Art at VAMA. This is like garden club ladies gone wild. Basically, the designers will create a floral interpretation of select pieces in the VAMA collection. Look, if you like Project Runway, think of this as Project Runway with Flowers. "Make it work, people!"

Aww, so that's the quick. For those of you who have posted stuff recently, thanks for still reading. Let me know you're out there, and let's keep the conversation going.

Best!

Lift Every Voice- Why the Blogger Who Dines Matters

2007-02-08T20:22:00.000-08:00

For an nice commentary on why posting your own food reviews isn't just chest thumping. .

Any questions? Get answers on any topic at Yahoo! Answers. Try it now.

Oh Please, Just Help Yourself. My Wallet Is Open.

2007-02-06T19:53:00.000-08:00

Perhaps I am the only one this has been happening to lately, but I've been to Cafe Gutenburg on two occasions, once for lunch and another for a quick cup of coffee and have had something odd happen when it came time to pay. During my first visit, which at the time seemed completely benign, I had lunch and upon paying realized my change was incorrect. Incorrect to the point of being a tip. I mentioned it to my server by saying, "Oh, I assume you've taken your tip out already." and the response was, "Oh, yeah. Thanks." Honestly, this wasn't a big deal, and I really thought nothing of it until a fews weeks ago when I stopped in for a quick cup of coffee.

This time, I paid with a card and left thinking nothing of it until I checked my account and realized my bill had been rounded up for a tip that I didn't recall leaving. Since the amount is about 80 cent, I am not really pressed about calling to complain. It really is negligible. The part that bothers me the most is that it's now the second time around. Unless everyone is just getting crappy at math, this just doesn't feel right.

Grrrr, I really do love their coffee, and it is often worth the tip. I'd just like to be the one who decides to leave it.

Hair in My Chicken Salad

2007-01-21T15:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, today I am going to get to the point since this is an issue that I take very seriously. Here it is. We need an easy ranking system for restaurants with code violations! For those who read this blog, you know I have a thing for germs. I know- If I were to walk behind the kitchen doors of any place that I like, I would run out aghast at what I saw. But recently, I've noticed a trend that I think is just icky.

Whether it was the story someone was sharing in my knife techniques class about cutting French bread and getting bloody knuckles from the roughness of the crust or the the recent string of waitstaff who garnish food after rubbing their heads or scratch them selves, or the guys who was wearing gloves and making a patron breakfast sandwich but accepting cash with the same gloved hands that went back to preparing the food, this all raises my ick-factor pretty quickly. Yes, I know that this could happen at any restaurant, and one could simple read the health department site for inspection reports. But for the ordinary reader, myself included, I rarely have a chance to check an inspection report before deciding to eat.

Far too often after seeing 14 violation, we wince and pick another dining option rather than chance diarrhea and nausea. Nevertheless, the 14 violations than may make you want to cancel your reservation at "Restaurant A" may not be anywhere as serious as the one critical violation that occurred at "Restaurant B". Basically, it would be nice if there were a simple visible reminder posted at your favorite restaurant that let you know exactly where they stand.

An Aroma of Honey-do: Wine Notes from Erika Jones' Husband

2007-01-14T21:01:00.000-08:00

"She's the foodie; I'm the wine guy."

Those were some infamous almost-last words from the "blog-that-must-not-be-named," and now my lovely wife has this novel idea about me coming over to her blog for some targeted guest-posting on occasion. Basically, she wants me to provide infotainment to her 7 loyal readers about my forays into the mundane and magnificent world of wine.

Turns out, she actually liked what I had to say about wine, and seeing how she already entrusts me with making the right choices when we go to dinner, she figures that I can add some spice to her food/culture/random stuff postings in this corner of the universe. The thing is that I'm not sure if I can actually sustain enough regular postings to satisfy her grape expectations. So, let's call this an experiment for now, a test-plot so to speak.

Please note that my time on this blog will be spent on an all-wine gig and nothing else.

Seeing as how it's her blog, and seeing how much she's fancied-up the decor, I can surely be dismissed at any time. So, from time to time, I may take a moment to share a thought or two about the Nectar of the Gods for the readers of GOTR. At the very least, I can get her to stop twisting my arm about popping the corks to give my views on the interesting bottles we picked up in Asheville.

Travelogue: A Western Retreat to Asheville

2007-01-13T21:29:00.000-08:00

2007 is shaping-up to be the "Year of the South" in terms of travel for me. Last week, I had a chance to visit Asheville, a place that I some how avoided for two years while living in Chapel Hill. It was quite a charming trip and was very appropriate given the blog murder I witnessed last week. For those of you who read SOTJ, you know of which I speak. Anyway, after Conaway killed the blog, we headed for the hills for a nice winter respite in Asheville.

First, I should tell you a little about where we stayed. Somehow, we stumbled upon what had to be the absolutely most quirky accommodations that I've ever experienced. Our hotel was a former sanitarium/hotel for families with relatives at local TB clinics/apartment building/psychiatric hospital/facility for the Maharajis. So, needless to say, it had an interesting vibe. Actually, the hotel - the Princess Anne Hotel - is on the national historic register and has recently been renovated by a preservationist. It has been restored to it's original state - hotel for relatives of TB patients- and was warm and inviting. For those of you who know me, you are probably shocked since I am severe germophobe and the TB was definitely a struggle. Fortunately, I was able to tame my Monk-like OCD to enjoy the stay.

Aside from our accommodations, we had some pretty damn awesome food. Asheville is quite a progressive little southern outpost, and it lives up to a lot of stereotypes of hippies in the mountains. One of the outgrowths of that mentality is the use of organic foods by local restaurants. I can't say I had a meal that made me want to leave the bubbling metropolis of Chesterfield, but it was all around well prepared and did not leave you with vacation gut - that feeling you get when you come home from vacay and feel that you need to scrub your colon with fiber. Two standouts from our dining experiences include Salsa - a Mexican/Caribbean - themed restaurant that serves a mean mojito and wonderful fish, and the City Bakery- a nice little place with a the absolute best whole grain baguette I have ever tasted in my life. And no, I am not comparing this to a baguette from Panera. City Bakery uses pumpkin seeds on the exterior of its baguettes and for those you whole love real baguette, they have the right mix of crusty and chewy.

One problem I did find in Asheville were all the damn nuts in the food. Being that I have a nut allergy, it was a little scary to find waitstaff that failed to mention that the mystery ingredients were nuts. Strangely enough, most people treated my aversion as a matter of preference and not a potential medical problem. But, this is something that I think is becoming more commonplace since I've been to restaurants locally where the waitstaff and/or menus fail to acknowledge nut flowers or nuts in general as ingredients. It's nice to see chefs trying new things, but for some people, we just need to know what's in the food for our own health.

Ok, that was a long tangent. To sum it up- if you visit Asheville, take some Benadryl because you never know what may be in store.

Aside from eating, I did have a chance to visit the vaunted Biltmore Estates and experience a wonderful little surprise. No, not the Christmas decorations. It was the wine that made the experience memorable. Apparently, the Biltmore Winery has dramatically stepped up its game and is making some pretty nice stuff...with imported California grapes. Perhaps I can cajole a certain guest blogger (ahem) to explain the details since the profundity of my comments will be, "their reds didn't taste like dirt." Keep your fingers crossed. . . Anyway, while at the Biltmore, I discovered a very nice Sangiovese that was quite drinkable and very enjoyable.

All in all, it was a fine holiday indeed- a wonderful road trip, good conversation, and anticipation of an exciting 2007.

Happy New Year, All!

Style Weekly Covers the end of South of the James

2007-01-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

Deblogged: Political Junkies
Style Weekly
Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Two mainstay politically based rants of the Virginia blogosphere have gone silent.

Norman Leahy and Conaway B. Haskins III, better known as One Man’s Trash and South of the James, respectively, dialed off after the first of the year, citing … well, frankly, better things to do.

For Leahy, commenting “essentially in a vacuum” for more than four years had taken its toll. “You just come to a point — it’s just time to sit back and figure out what I want to do next,” says Leahy, who maintained his site between time with his family and full-time employment as a copywriter.

Though he may have felt occasionally alone, Leahy’s conservative monologue drew 400 to 500 readers daily and was once called “a hoot” by Times-Dispatch political writer Jeff Schapiro.

Withdrawing his voice has drawn a flurry of calls, e-mails and letters. “I didn’t realize that leaving would create this minor stir,” Leahy says. “For the longest time I thought my only regular reader was my wife — and she had to be prompted.”

Friends called wondering about the “real story,” he says. “I was like, gee, I need to come up with some nefarious story about what happened to me.”

Put simply, he felt finished with One Man’s Trash — and a bit burned out on the most recent election cycle, which Leahy says involved too much mudslinging among fellow bloggers.

The end of South of the James appears also to have been driven largely by increased outside obligations.
Haskins, in his final post Jan. 4, begged his leave with inferences to a change in employment status — presumably for the better. Haskins, who has also written for Style, recently took a new job as state deputy director of constituent casework for Sen. Jim Webb. He writes that new endeavors require his “attention and energy,” and that ending his blog is “something that I choose eagerly as there are many new roads ahead.”

But is there ever truly an end for a political wonk with a need to vent? Probably not, if Leahy’s possible plans are any indication. He says he’s entertaining offers from a number of online publications, all “hyper-secret,” he says, that likely will allow his ravings to remain part of the broader Virginia political discourse.
In fact, Leahy says, he expects to be back somehow for the 2008 primaries, “working hard on my carpal tunnel.”

In the Heart of Dixie: A Year in Review in Petersburg

2006-12-19T19:50:00.000-08:00

Unlike the Crater, Petersburg seems to be on the rise and dining is leading the way. As Style Weekly noted last week, Petersburg is the home to another culinary upstart with the opening of Old Towne Marketplace in Historic Petersburg. This past weekend I had the chance to stop by for a quick visit, and the friendly owners were more than eager to share their wares and assist. For those of you who know Old Towne, this is great news since it means not always having to schlep to Richmond to purchase good meats and cheeses.

Another, re-newed, addition to the Petersburg area is the Dixie Diner which is on the corner of Bank and Sycamore, also in the heart of Old Towne. The Dixie Diner is a bit of a remix replacing the Old Dixie Restaurant that really evoked a real sense of being in Dixie- and not in a good way. We stopped in Sunday for a late brunch and all around it was nice experience. The sweet tea was awesome and the biscuits were a nice balance of flaky and buttery. My omelette was somewhat over-done being that it was slightly rubbery. But, this is a problem that can be worked out over time. Look Dixie is basic diner food, but for those in Peterburg, it's great just to have another option to enjoy on a Sunday afternoon.

As for the old favorites, if you haven't been to Petersburg in a while, don't just stick with the new shinies like Wabi Sabi, The Bistro at Market and Grove, or even Andrade's. Try an oldie but goodie that I absolutely adore for the incredibly friendly waitstaff and food that is reminiscent of a time when Greek/Italian diners served quality meals at reasonable prices. The place I like for that type of experience is Alexander's on Bank St. in Old Towne. It's not swanky or posh, but the service is always polite and the Kota Plate (Imagine a more flavorful Chicken Cacciatore with raisins and served over rice) is just good comfort food. And, when you're done, you must try the baklava. It's caused quite a hefty dry cleaning bill in my home, long story- let's just say there was honey everywhere, but it was all worth it.

As Petersburg continues to transform itself into a quirky southern outpost, keep an eye out for new places to visit. Something new seems to sprout up every week, and the people are nothing short of fascinating.

So, as another year comes to a close, think back fondly on your dining memories and let your heart be merry and light.

Merry Christmas and Happy Eating!

At Long Last...Applecake

2006-12-18T21:30:00.000-08:00

Hi all.

So as I promised earlier, here is the long awaited apple cake recipe. I wanted to make it first before putting it out there on the blogs, just to see how it turned out. Mine was not as good as the one from my memory, but I also made some significant alterations that might have influenced the outcome a bit. Feel free to chime in on those alteration if you like.

Here's what I did:

I substituted the whole wheat flour for white. This obviously sucked up a lot of my liquid, thus making the cake drier that usual. The texture of my cake was much more like crumb cake than an apple bar.
I used Granny Smith apples only. I suspect that with my substitution, a juicier apple that holds its texture under heat would have been more suitable. The main problem with the cake was that my original version was drier that I liked.
After the fact, I added a 1/4 cup of brandy to address the dryness. Actually, I've had a few people sample the brandied version and all around, it was a hit. If you like a good moist fruitcake, use the wheat flour and add the brandy. This will yield the same consistency.

What I'd Do Differently: As you will see, this recipe calls for a glaze which in my opinion, should be doubled. I think the glaze is the hit-maker. So, next time around, I will be doubling my glaze since the recipe amount doesn't quite do it for a 9x13 pan.

Ok, enough of my analysis. Below you will find the recipe. Enjoy and please report back.

++++++++++

Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze
by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock
from The Gift of Southern Cooking
(Alfred A. Knopf, 2003)
Serves 12

When apples are in season, there's nothing finer than a simple apple cake. Although easy to make, this cake is anything but ordinary. It's bursting with fresh apple flavor and spices, while the crunch of pecan, which places the cake unmistakably in Southern territory, adds just the right bite. And, well, the coat of rich caramel makes this an over-the-moon dessert.

Ingredients

CAKE

1 cup light-brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

3 large eggs

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground Ceylon cinnamon (see Note)

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 fresh apples (such as Winesap or Granny Smith), peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces

1 1/4 cups not-too-finely chopped pecans

2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

GLAZE

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light-brown sugar

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

Method

MAKE THE CAKE
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).

2. Put the sugars and vegetable oil in a mixing bowl, and beat until very well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and gradually add to the sugar and eggs, mixing just until well blended.

3. Stir in the apples, pecans, and vanilla, and pour into a buttered and 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours (begin checking after 50 minutes). Remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the pan while you prepare the caramel glaze.

MAKE THE GLAZE
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add both the sugars and the salt. Stir until blended, and cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

2. Use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes all over the top of the cake, and pour the warm glaze over the surface. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE: The quality of cinnamon can vary greatly, and most that you find on supermarket shelves is harsh and hot in flavor. Ceylon cinnamon is the exception and we use it a lot in our recipes. Ceylon cinnamon is best purchased in stick form, kept tightly covered away from sunlight, and ground in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle for each recipe (we keep a small electric coffee grinder that we use only for sweet spices like cinnamon and clove). Unlike common cinnamon, which is thick, hard and brittle, Ceylon cinnamon is paper thin and crumbles easily in the hand. It is complexly smooth and sweet, and very refined, both in aroma and flavor. We recommend seeking it out, as it makes all the difference in a dish. If, however, for some reason you simply cannot find Ceylon cinnamon, reduce the amount called for in our recipe by half if you are using an ordinary supermarket brand.

Harold Ford: Oreos and Fox News

2006-11-03T20:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, I generally don't write about politics, but "Tis the Season". And, since there are several references to cookies. . .

Tonight, while driving I actually listened to Fox News- a channel I generally reserve for extreme unintentional humor. After listening for a while, I soon made an amazing discovery that Fox News is actually palatable while driving. Ok, I had another reason for listening, and it's not that "Know your enemy" stuff. I listened because I wanted to hear the interview featuring the two Tennessee senatorial candidates, Bob Corker and and Harold Ford.

While listening to Corker, the first interviewee, I noticed he kept repeating variations on a very interesting phrase which was as follows, "I get to get up everyday and be myself. My opponent has to get up everyday and tries be somebody that he's not in order to be like me." Well, as the interview went on Corker continued to harp on the fact that Ford is acting like something that he is not. That got the wheels in my little my mind thinking back to the earlier campaign commercial with the white woman asking Harold to, "call me".

To me this interview just started to smell and fast. Just like a white woman propositioning a black man sets off bells and whistles in the South, Corker's reference just gave me that nagging feeling that what he really wanted to say is, "Yeah, not only does he like white ladies, he also is a big ole' Oreo. A big fat pretender who wants to fool you and get into your home and subsequently bed your daughters and steal your money." Sounds a little Birth of a Nation-esque, huh? And yes, you might be thinking, this chick is lefty nut job who sees racism in everything. Yes, for a moment I thought about that, but I remembered that funny thing about racism in the Tennessee election is that white folks called out the commercial as tacky. So, let's spare the comments on how black people are paranoid. For Tennessee, there is both internal and external validity.

The Ford thing gets even weirder when you start thinking about all of the commercials talking about his family and how corrupt they are. Yes, his family might be corrupt, and it's great political strategy to call this out. But really, do you think the guy should just roll over and take it like a gentleman? In the South, talking about someone's momma, cousin, or their snaggle-toothed felon daddy is cause for blows. So, it strikes me as odd how someone would want Harold Ford to just ignore the attacks.

So essentially, Ford is faced with an awkward paradox. Keep being a white woman-loving oreo/ladies man. Or play that old role of Uncle Tom who is the tireless gentleman in spite of attacks on himself and on the ones he loves. Next Tuesday, Tennessee will decide which Ford they like the least. However, with such a stark duality, there's no way Ford could ever win.

Apple Cake Redux

2006-11-02T07:05:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've had quite a few request for the apple cake recipe and yes I did get it. Blame my scanner for the lack of publishing! Damn technology. Anyway, tonight I will post the apple cake recipe and being that I even went to Carter Moutain a few weeks ago to pick apples for the apple cake, I guess I should make it and report back on my progress too.

Happy Eating!

Life With a Picky Eater

2006-10-08T20:17:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago the Washington Post published an article on picky eaters, and like any good article should, this piece made me do a bit of self-reflection. Ok, it actually made me do a little self-reflection on my marriage and the lack of food compatibility in my home.

First, let me admit, I do have some peculiar food habits. I don't like my foods to run together and I don't usually like beef. A quirk? Yes! But I am admitting it. No, I am not as bad as one of my friends who didn't eat mushrooms until adulthood and has so many food allergies that dinner out is like a visit allergist for testing. Ok, allergic doesn't really count- so that's not picky. Nonetheless, back to my kvetching about problems at home.

Basically, my problem is that I live with a picky eater. Most of the pickyness centers on fruits and vegetables. No cauliflower, no raw broccoli, no raw carrots, no raw apples, no artichokes, no sprouts, no eggplant, and absolutely no radishes. Potatoes- only if in the mood and under very rare circumstances. It took almost ten years to make lima beans and butternut squash acceptable. Lentils used to be completely off the table and spicy foods are a big no-no. Curry isn't too far behind. Caramel is just bad (ok, that's just plain weird), and Roquefort on a menu is very much a problem.

Sadly for me, these are all foods I love. But fortunately, there is hope. Sometimes a little slipped-in red pepper is welcomed and missed when not added to the collards. My Jamaican friend's curry chicken has been tested and mildly appreciated. Butternut squash is a new favorite. And, lentils are being tried at lunch and enthusiastically raved. Perhaps the lesson I've learned about living with my picky eater is that food, very much like love, is highly subjective. We all come with our childhood traumas of brussel sprouts and and slimy okra. But as friends and family, we can bridge the food divide and learn to try to like new things. No, we won't be having the eggplant ratatouille tomorrow. But with baby steps, we might be able to grow closer in culinary bliss.

Happy Eating!

In Memoriam: Trying to Regain Simplicity

2006-09-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

As everyone around the country reflects on the importance of this anniversary I feel compelled to do likewise. September 11th has become a definitive marker of time for most of us, that 5 years later it's still hard to do what an ad suggested some years ago- "remember when 9 11 was just the time on your kitchen clock." For me this day, the 11th of September, always reminds me of exactly how beautiful the sky was that morning. I was in Carolina at the time and as I always preface my comments about that day, "It really was one of the most beautiful days I'd ever seen." The sky was crystal clear, and the bite of the early autumn chill was ever so slight.

All of this said, it seems almost silly to think about the time we spend on such trivial pursuits, such as blogging, when one thinks about the seriousness September 11th injected into each of our lives. Nonetheless, if there is one thing we can learn from that day is how important it is to connect with others. We are all searching for the things that link us together and create those lasting memories. Surprisingly, many of the things people blog about- food, arts, religion or politics, provide such opportunities. After that day, we learned poignant lessons on connectedness and the importance of those small human interactions. So rather than make this a eulogy to a simpler time, I invite you to renew your commitment to those connections. Spark an interesting conversation, eat a good meal, debate macaca, pontificate on a good movie, tell us about you weekend at Nasacar. But whatever you do, keep making those human connections.

Best.

5 Things We Need In Western Chesterfield

2006-07-24T21:07:00.000-07:00

I usually never do lists, but this has been a crazy week. So, here's a rant, but a much needed release. This week, I've been inspired by the graffiti artist who keeps leaving little messages on downtown establishments suggesting alternatives to shuttered buildings. The messages, in case you haven't seen th 1QAZ
5 Things We Need In Western Chesterfield.

1. A late night dinning place besides Wendy's, Waffle House, and TGI Fridays. Look, I see lots of people leaving the 10:2) movie at Commonwealth 20. There needs to be a place where you can get a cup of coffee and just unwind before going home to settle in for the night.

2. Lights on Spring Run. Look, this is a no-brainer. The road is dark. We need some lights.

3. A good ice cream spot. I love Gelati Celesti, but I am tired of that trip on 288 for good ice cream.

4. More local eateries. As you've seen, I frequently mention a little spot down the street called Jack's. A few weeks ago as I enjoyed a very nice omelet for brunch, the chef came by and began a conversation about competing with chains. Look, support a locally owned restaurant, and no, that does not mean Ukrops.

5. A good place for coffee. Sometimes you need your coffee served with an attitude. I love the ubiquitous Starbucks, but I also like getting my coffee from someone who knows that a good relationship with a barrista takes time and sometime a little attitude makes the roast that much better.

Revenge of the Apple Cake: My Tale of Culinary Envy

2006-07-22T05:25:00.000-07:00

So, I admit it, I am petty woman. I recognize that this post may show really deep insecurity on my part. But, hey I am social worker, so I am going to "own this feeling".

Last year, my husband was invited to a dinner that, I swear, may have changed his life. At first the invitation appeared benign and was a kind gesture from two wonderful and amazing people. I, unfortunately, was forced to decline the invitation since I had promised to attend a fundraiser with my mom. So, I am thinking, "Hey, my absence is no reason to turn down a great meal, honey, go on without me and have fun." Everything seemed fine, but I soon found out, this was no ordinary meal. . .

I knew something was different about this dinner when Conaway called on the drive home and started driveling on and on about "Apple Cake." Mind you, this call woke me up since I was asleep and for any of you who knew me last year, sleep was a very precious commodity. . .So, you could say, I was in a grumpy mood, and in my stupor I hear a high pitched school girl-esque story about cake. "Oh, the apple cake was so good. Oh , everyone loved. I had two pieces. It was so good that I even brought you some home to share. You've got to try it. Man, that was an incredible cake . . . blah . . blah". For thrity minutes I heard about this cake and how it would cure cancer, give us world peace and bring us closer to the Divine.

Soon, I heard the garage door opening and bounding through the door was Conaway with a package wrappped in foil. "Hey, I brought you some cake, you gotta try it?" "No, I think I'll pass." "Are you sure, it's really good, and I brought it it for you." At that moment, this became about more than just cake. I got that feeling that every wife gets when your husband goes on and on about another woman's talent. It's that sinking low-down, "Apple cake. Hmm, I don't know why he thinks that apple cake is so good. I can make a cake. I used to make brownies on demand for you, and this is the thanks I get. Hmmm, I got your apple cake."

So, the night passed and the next day, I was begged again to try the cake. I tried it and. . .well. . that was some damn good cake. Perhaps it was a spiturally enlightening experience, but for me, it was like eating from the tree of knowledge. No longer was I happy with my sub-par desserts. I was ashamed at my mediocity. And I, like Eve in Garden of Eden, began plotting.

Soon replicating Apple Cake became my raison d'etre and a strange measure womanhood. I went on-line. I kept looking for apples and thinking of ways to replicate "Apple Cake." And not only would I replicate it, I would improve upon it. Apple cake is made in a standard 9x13 pan, I would make apple cake in a bundt pan and improve its presentation. My apple cake would be bigger, better, and applier! Really, I was obsessed.

Some of my apple cake attempts where laughable (i.e. the recipe where I became so flustered I forgot to add butter). Sadly, my apple cake did not live up to the yummy gooey apple cake that lured my husband away like the pied piper. For a year now, I have lived with the shame. . .So imagine my joy when last night I was offered a chance at redemption.

A year later, there was another invitation from the miracle hostess, and well, apple cake was served. It was just as good as it was last year, but this year, I got satisfaction and perhaps redemption. I too will know the joy of apple cake. After taking pity on my sad story, our wonderful hostess has agreed to share her apple cake recipe. . .

Thank you for a lovely evening and redeeming this poor girl's baking. A marriage saved.

A Little Bit of Night Music

2006-07-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

Many evenings I work late thus I get home later than most people in the area. On my ride home, I generally catch the last few minutes of Market Place on NPR and hear the first few minutes of jazz programming on WCVE before doing gym duty or making dinner. This evening's communte began like most, however, I got a very nice surprise.

This week WCVE is extending its jazz programming by one hour so that Richmonders can enjoy jazz until 10pm every night this week. As I heard the announcement, I literally shouted "Amen". This is such great news! Before moving back to Richmond, I lived in place with top rate jazz stations, and so jazz music on the radio was something that I grew to miss when I moved here. So, for me this is a good thing. No more trying to connect the XM adapter.

If you like jazz, please listen this week. WCVE has asked listeners to send them comments on this temporary program change. I have sent in mine, and I encourage you to send yours as well.

Thank you, WCVE. You brought another hour of happiness to this girl's evenings.

Blogging Was His Mistress

2006-07-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

So after a nice long weekend and two copies of the Sunday paper, it was good to be at work today. Yes, all weekend long I had to hear, "Hey, I saw your husband in the paper." Yes, it's hard out here for a celebrity wife, and these days it appears my name should just be Mrs. GOTR-SOTJ (Yes, the hyphen is key, people). Yes, SOTJ made the paper this weekend, and just in case you didn't see it, here is the link.

Nice Work, Connie!

SoBo- It's the place to be!

2006-06-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago, we officially kicked off our summer roadtrip season with a trip to South Boston, VA. If you do one thing this summer, make sure you get a chance to go to a small town and enjoy a different pace of life.

That said, we had an opportunuity to see a lovely outdoor production of the The Reduced Shakespeare Company's- The Complete Works of Williams Shakespeare (Abridged) performed by the cast of the Halifax County Little Theatre. It was a great outdoor performance and a good time was had by all. The nice part about our evening was that I was able to confirm that my husband's imaginary friends from the Sorensen Institute are real!! Yes, I had a chance to confirm that Sorensen isn't a lie, and there are some are really cool people in the program. One of the coolest was Brandon Hudson, one of the evening's stars. Look, the play was rather saucy for a small town audience, but the cast, including Brandon, did a fine job.

Fortunately for us, we were invited to the case party afterwards which took place at the Pufff and Stufff restaurant. We had great calamari and great conversation. One of the highlights was a conversation with John Fulton, the owner of the Charles Bass House Bed and Breakfast. John was incredibly nice, and has inspired us to make a return trip to SOBO.

So, go on, get out there and get some summer.

On Tipping: Part Deux

2006-05-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it looks like the little tipping article lead to a lot more questions than answers. Do you tip th barista? The dry cleaning lady who brings the clothes to your car? Your cat for remembering to use the litter box consistently?

So, I went looking for answers. . . and they varied a lot. Rather than recount the whole thing, use the link to the webchat from Tom Sietsema's weekly chat. Might help some of you guys with the conundrum of whether or not to tip for take-out, etc.

Also, someone sent me a really interesting article on Blacks and Tipping, which well, leaves lots of room for conversation. My personal is that, there apparently is a lot of room for education on tipping.

So, enjoy and let me know what you think.

Metro Map!

2006-05-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

I found this site on while reading National Geographic Traveler, and it's worth the sharing. It's a site with downloadable maps of transit systems for you Ipod. Goodbye crumpled up Metro Map. Hello, gloss new map.

American Idolatry

2006-05-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

So, I am working on this presentation that I've been cranking out for about a month, and I am being subjected to the news. I get my news from the Daily Show (heheh). So, I don't see local news. But tonight, someone else is in control of the remote and you know what's on- the news.

So, you could guess how I feel seeing that Elliot Yamin is the lead story on Channel 12. Honestly, there wasn't someone murdered and important city council/board of supervisors meeting somewhere? Look, I've got much love for Elliot but please, save the soft stuff for the later news segment.

On Tipping

2006-05-17T02:34:00.000-07:00

For of those of you following StyleWeekly the past few weeks, there has been alot of discussion on tipping, and more importantly what constitutes a good tip. One of the things I've noticed about this story line is that waiters and waitress have written in to complaing that 15 percent tips are low. This is a point I find quite interesting since almost every tipping guide I've seen has indicated that the standard tip is between 15 to 20 percent of the before tax amount. So, this all comes as a surprise to me that waitstaff should desire a baseline tip of 20 percent. I find that I am tipping 20+ when the service has been great and this is definetly a place I'd like to revisit. But for standard, here's your food, here's your drink, here's you bill- I usually go with 15 percent.

So I put this out there to you guys. How do you tip? Is it before or after tax? Is 15 percent your baseline or do you start with 20 percent?

The Class of '95

2006-05-13T22:16:00.000-07:00

First, let me start by saying this isn't about food or anything all that entertaining. Its more about getting older. . .

Basically, I am not good for birthdays. Ask people who know me an some will tell you how I actually celebrate the day after my birthday because of the sincere dread I start to feel around this time of year. Needless to say, my birthday will be here in just few short weeks, and this year I've started my dread early.

With this since of dread there is the inevitable gut check. For me, that gut check means looking back and assessing where I am and where I've been. But the funny thing about gut checks as you get older- you start to loose your ability to actually look back. Yes, I have developed what the French describe as a "trou de memoire" which loosely translate into a "a hole in the memory". That could be some fancy-pants way of saying I am getting older.

Thus bringing me to my main point, I am in need of collective memory gut check. Yeah, I could sit alone and muse what it was like years ago, but solo recollections tend to either be horrible or over romanticized. It's like when you see an old crush years later and he's fat, bald, and a complete ass. But in order to get a solid gut check, you gotta have people around who knew you back when. Lately, I've found myself asking, "Where the hell did those people I went to high school with end up?" Yes, this is exactly why we have class reunions because when your ass gets older, you can't remember who Kimmy K. was who signed your yearbook with references to 7th period English. Hell, I can't remember what I did seven hours ago let alone 7th period in 1992. Now for some reason, my high school seems to be avoiding the whole reunion thing. But I say, bring it on! I wanna see, I want to know, and I want to regain some since of collective history.

Check your Head- Podcasting for Food

2006-04-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

Since I have recently received an Ipod, I am now one of the many people who walk around with little white strings hanging from my ears unobservant of my surrondings. I really do like my Ipod a great deal, and I like it even more since it has allowed me to also further my love of food.

One of my favorites things about my Ipod is podcasting. One I am espcially fond of is Good Food by KCRW out of LA. This podcast provides information on a variety of topics like picking produce to preparing fresh fish. Every week there is something new and interesting to learn. Check 'em out and happy eating.

When Your Monkey Gets too Chucky. . .

2006-04-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

So last weekend, we decided to go on a road trip down 360 to Reedville, the place where 360 literally dead ends into a marina. It was a little anti-climactic, but along the way we came up with an idea that's just in time for summer. We've decided to make this the summer of ice cream. Since we a big fans for roadside ice cream stands, we've decided to find a new place to sample every week in the summer. This beats the alternative of identifying Golden Skillet conversions. (It's hard to reconfigure a skillet into a new logo). So, if you know a good ice cream shop that you think we should try, put up a post.

Foodies and Immigrants: Food for Thought

2006-04-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

For those of us who like food, we often spend less time thinking about how our food actually gets to us and more about the wonderful dining experience we enjoy. That's all fine and good, but there are those unique moments were politics and food collide, and in my opinon, the current immigration debate is one such example. Bottom line- If you like a nice bottle or wine, sumptious meal, and the pampering experience of fine dining, it's in your best interest to seriously think about the current immigration debate that is going on Congress.

Whether or not you like to think about, a good deal of the labor forces that gets food to your table is an immigrant workforce. Whether it's lettuce picked at the microgreen farm or the line cooks at you local Ruby Tuesday's- someone from another country is probably making it happen. And, these aren't always glamorous jobs. Some of these are thankless, grimmy, dirty occupations that most people don't want. Picking vegetables means exposure to pesticides and cooking in a restaurant brings with it a whole host of occupational hazards like burned hands and knife cuts. So, unless your willing to do this work yourself- I know I am not- thank an immigrant and cut them some slack.

On top of having tough work, a lot of immigrant workers are caught in a nasty cycle of low pay that borders exploitation. Yes, I know your thinking "these people are criminals", but honestly, does overstaying your visa or coming across the desert in 100 degree temperature mean you should be paid $2 an hour? No, that's just plan inhumae. Yes, I support a living wage (get your act straight and hang in there, fellow wahoos), and I know that if we had to pay the real cost of getting food into the market place, we'd shudder. But honestly, there's gotta be a better way.

And since we're talking about low pay, let's talk about what type of place you can rent for low pay. Don't you ever wonder where the wait and kitchen staff in your favorite restaurant lives? If you are like me, you better hope its spotless and that uniform sees a washer on a regular basis. But, I'd bet if you are living with friends, keeping an eye out for INS, and dealing with a shady landlord you may not have the most posh of digs and laundry might be low on your to-do list.

So look, rather than make this a rant at the government, I encourage you to take some time during your dining exeperiences this week and think about who's cooking your food. It's easy to get caught up in all the rhetoric and forget that real lives are impacted by big policies. And no, I don't think amnesty is a real answer, but neither is criminalization.

Happy and Thoughful Eating!

In My Mind I'm Goin' to Carolina: The Story of A House Divided and Why I'm Sick of GMU

2006-03-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

So if you've been following South of the James this weekend, you obviously know that George Mason, a place that I've affectionately known as Fairfax U, is headed to the Sweet 16. (Btw, have you seen Gunston?)This occassion creates quite a conundrum in my home since I am an alumnus of UNC-Chapel Hill. Hence, I live in a house divided. Yes, my turncoat husband has sold out since he also attended UNC-CH. But, if you've been reading his post this weekend, you'd never know it given the crazy love of GMU. But, I, unlike my husband will forever be true to Carolina Blue, for one basic reason. They paid me. So, with that said, I today, mourn the loss of a great team. Goodbye, Tarheels and here's to listening to another week of Sports Center highlights on GMU. Heaven help us all!

The Sunshine State and Ice Cream

2006-03-10T06:14:00.000-08:00

I've spent most of week before last in Florida, and though the weather here has been fairly mild this week, it does not compare to those tropical breezes and the look of permenant vacation that many Floridan's sport. So, maybe it was the warm weather or the mercury from the large amounts of seafood that I consumed while in Florida. (It was my fist time trying pompano , and it was quite yummy.)

But, all last week I've had ice cream on my mind. I suspect my craving has something to do with the refined sugars I've given up for Lent. But hey, it's only 40 days, and who's couting (It's day 12! Just 28 days. . .)

Anyway, spring is coming, and it's time for ice cream. And, not just any old half gallon of faux cream you can get at Food Lion. I am talking high test stuff. Actually, it isn't ice cream I am craving, it's custard- from my favorite little ice cream spot in my old neighborhood, Del Ray. The place I speak of used to be known as the Del RayDreamery, which has recently undergone a name change ans is now known as the Dairy Godmother. (Btw, I liked the old name better!) Every day, but Tuesday's in the Winter, the Dreamery could consitently be counted on to serve vanilla, chocolate, and a specialty custard. Now these specialties weren't just moose tracks or rocky road. No, these were more exotic in nature with custard like Kulfi and in homage to the infestation of Cicada's we had a few years ago, cicada ice cream. Ok, ice cream with bugs may be creeping you out, but you have to appreciate Liz's, the owner, approach to inventive flavors.

Nonetheless, the star of the show wasn't the custard. In my opinion, the star was the sorbet. My favorites where pink grapefruit, pineaple cilantro, and lime mint. Yes, there was nothing like a nice cup of sorbet on a hot summer night.

So in honor of the warm weather, go have a little ice cream. If you are in Richmond, Gelati Celesti has nice variety of sorbets and incredible ice creams. And if it is custard you crave, we'll if you get on 95 right now, you may be able to beat the evening rush at the Dreamery.

Happy Eating, Everyone!

Do Bears Neccessitate?

2006-03-05T07:58:00.000-08:00

Ok, so like most Richmonders, I have been quite annoyed by the killing of the 2 Maymont bears because some crazy mom wanted to let her kid "pet the bears". As those of you reading my husband's blog know, the bears have caused quite a stir. Nonetheless, my sadness for the loss turned to uneasiness as I read this morning's Post article covering the bear funeral. It was at that moment that I felt like I was from some backwater town. It's the same feeling I used to get when I lived in Carolina and the noon news would report on hog futures. But in Carolina, hog futures were important since farmers lived off their profits. And my snobbery on the hog futures was just snobbery. But, the Richmond bear fiasco is something else. It's absurd.

Funny, we can't build an arts center, there have been a string of senseless murders, kids are taking their SOLs next week, and all we have to talk about are bears. . . not to mention it took less than a week to generate a report on the bear killing. Perhaps we can hope that this efficiency can spill over into other areas of governance. Just imagine what we could be!

Richmond Shakespeare Group Seeks More Black Theatergoers for "Othello"

2006-02-24T08:35:00.000-08:00

By Conaway Haskins

As Black History Month winds down, the Richmond Shakespeare Festival is looking to reach out to more African American patrons for its production of, “Othello.” This classic play tells a tangled tale of love, intrigue and racial bigotry centering on the life of the title character, a dark-skinned Moor (North African Muslim) general married to a white European woman. According to Cynde Liffick, director of education for Encore! Theatre Company, the producers of the festival, this play should hold significance for black audiences. She says that there is a “need to get the word out in the African American community in a big way.”

Liffick notes that "Othello" is essentially a play about a black man. She says, “It's in the title, ‘Othello, The Tragedy of the Moor of Venice,’ but Shakespeare goes beyond that, making it an exploration of the very words "black" and "white" and how they are used in today's society to designate something beyond color.” The Richmond play stars local African-American actor, Thomas Nowlin, a Richmond resident.

Full of intrigue, betrayal, and ultimately death, this story is not without irony. As Liffick notes, “Shakespeare has made the black man the ‘whitest’ on-stage. [Othello] is called noble, an excellent general and is well liked by everyone, apparently, until [the play’s villain] Iago, his ensign, comes along. Iago states so many reasons for disliking Othello, that in the end, it's hard to believe any of them; he keeps changing his story. He pulls the strings of everyone around Othello in order to accomplish his goal: to take Othello down. He plays the race card with the people to whom it matters.”

The play is known for its deliberately murky portrayal of race and racism, something that is notable considering the 16th century society in which Shakespeare lived. It seems that The Bard wanted to challenge his audience to rethink their own views on the importance, or lack thereof, of race as a defining characteristic. Says Liffick, “When Shakespeare wants to make a statement he usually has a lot of people discussing the same issue; here he does not. What we're left with is that the white man does the ‘blackest’ deeds; that evil is not in a black skin, but in a “black” heart.”

Given the racial history of the Richmond area, the cradle of the Confederacy, “Othello” could be an effective mechanism for generating greater understanding across racial and ethnic lines throughout the community. Liffick holds that, “for this reason, this is a perfect play for Richmond. Having discussion on these issues might start getting to a point where race truly is not an issue. Please come see the play, and decide for yourself.”

Othello is part of the Acts of Faith series (http://www.actsoffaith.org), and it will run until April 8. Group rates for groups of 10 people or more, and there are special rates for children as well. Some performances include discussions with the cast and director. For more information, go to: http://ww.richmondshakespeare.com.

Conaway Haskins, a nonprofit executive and freelance writer, edits and publishes SouthoftheJames.com, a website about life and politics in Metro Richmond and Virginia.

He's Black? Who knew!

2006-02-18T11:20:00.000-08:00

So maybe I am in a snitty mood since I've had this cold for over three weeks. I think when you're sick, little things piss you off, and well this week, Style Weekly was on my list of annoying things.

Look, I ordinarily enjoy reading Style Weekly on my 6 AM train ride to Alexandria, but this week, I read with contempt. For some reason, this week's issues was clubby and down-right insider-ish. It had that "people in the know just know" vibe. Well, the straw that broke the camel's back for me was the review of the Richmond Shakespeare Theatre's production of Othello. Now in the spirit of full disclosure, I've talked with the director for the Richmond Shakespeare Company via email. It was the following comment in the review that upset me.

"While there are implicit racial overtones in 'Othello,' thanks to the lead character’s Moorish complexion, no undue attention is drawn to this fact."

Now look, I am no Shakespeare scholar. Hell, I was not even a English major. Nevertheless, I have seen productions of Othello before. I consider myself to be familiar with the plot, and there is one thing I know for sure - Othello's race is a pretty damn big deal. Additionally, I've seen Mr. Nowlin, the guy playing Othello, and he looks like a black man. So, I can't quite understand why his "Moorish complexion" helped to not draw undue attention. This just seems a bit nonsensical since he looks a lot like Moors of Othello's time.

But in thinking about all of this, I my real frustration goes deeper. In reading the review, which was choppy and hard to follow, this comment left me with that feeling I get when white people say things like, "Oh, I am so glad he didn't play the race card." It's that feeling you get when race becomes an annoying conversation piece that people pray you just don't bring up.

One thing I've learned about being in Richmond is that nice Southern folk - whether old with blue hair or progressive Fan-loving hipsters - do not like acknowledging race, especially when it is the most obvious thing in the room.

Finding Food on Hull Street: Jack's

2006-01-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

You know how Quentin Taratino makes movies that juxtapose the mundane with the obscure, absurd and sublime. Well, our visit to Jack’s was a lot like that. In one night, I had rolls with an olive tapenade, with mint strawberry lemonade in what looked like a booth from Happy Days while enduring the Doors.

Jack’s is a new restaurant on Hull Street that has taken the place of what was once a non-descript pizza place. The menu is continental, and I do mean continental in the broadest since of the word. If you were to drive by Jack’s and take a quick glance, you’d definitely be intrigued given the bright florescent lighting and warm glowing neon. Yes, your first observation would tell you a lot about the restaurant since the interior looks like a gradual renovation process with a modernized bar, that does not serve alcohol, and a renovated entryway. With its green walls, large booths with curtain dividers, and, and strange cottage architecture, the rest of the restaurant is a work in progress. Honestly, I had my doubts.

Nonetheless, where the mood fails, the food shows some promise. Look, Jack’s is not a chain and its menu allows those who’d ordinarily settle for a burger to stretch a little. The menu included the standard pizza and burgers, but there were some interesting items that included jerk chicken with plantains, a pan-fried tilapia with a saffron-lemon butter sauce, and flank steak with sweet potatoes. Hence, it would suffice to say that Jack’s is all over the map, which is part of the problem.

Though my food was solid and well-presented, I felt like the richness of flavor and depths of the recipes were not highlighted. For dinner, I started with a salad which, simply put, was really good. The hostess, who I suspect is also an owner, made it a point to tell us that everything was homemade, and with the salad this showed. The dressing was a honey-dijon vinaigrette and very large (large enough to share). I could have stopped with the salad, but the rest of the meal was pleasing as well. I had the tilapia, a fish I generally don’t care for since the preparation often leaves it tasting watery and bland. I ordered it because of the promise of the saffron lemon butter sauce, and I was pleased. I was pleased more so by the pan-frying of the tilapia which was meaty and firm and lightly seasoned to highlight the fish’s sweetness. I was less impressed with the sauce which needed an additionally kick (probably more lemon and saffron). The accompanying asparagus and rice were mediocre and drowned in the flavorless sauce. I did get a chance to try some of the flank steak which was perfectly prepared at medium though the sweet potatoes proved disappointing and flavorless as well. To drink, I had the mint strawberry lemonade which you should order but only with extra mint and strawberry. We passed on dessert since it featured a pretty standard group of desserts including chessecake and a brownie sundae. One item that was unique was the crème brulee cookies which I hope to try down the road.

Overall, I look forward to watching Jack’s grow and become even better. A major renovation some tweaking of the menu and it really will be a great local spot.

A Little Bit of Nawlins: Jacqueomo’s

2006-01-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

Jacqueomo’s
101 N. 18 St. 344-5181

Look, I am a chatty diner. I like going to dinner and asking the waitstaff, “Hey, what do you like?”, and I am looking for more than, “well, everything is good here.” Nor do I expect, “I don’t know. I really don’t eat seafood” at a seafood restaurant. Yes, I might be what you would call a high maintenance diner. I want to know about the chef, where fish came from, how his technique is different. I want to know, and I like acknowledging your enthusiasm or cautionary word with a good tip. To highlight a good job: the waitstaff at Comfort is always awesome at this and will make your pickiest, hardest to please relative happy with something on their menu. We had their New Year’s prix fixe and though the food was solid, the waitstaff made us feel like old friends. These are the experiences that make lifetime customers even if it is purely transactional.

So with all of this said, I find that I am having fewer and fewer informed waitstaff experiences these days. I’ve never been a waitress, and from what I’ve seen, it can be a thankless job. But it seems that the for some of the places I’ve been to lately, the goal is to get you in and out and with little regard for developing customer relationships. Look, I am not talking about having a meal a popular restaurant during Restaurant Week in a large city. I am talking about new local upstarts on a standard night that isn’t too busy and with a group that if given the right experience will sing your praise and be repeat customers.

Needless to say, when our dining group paid a trip to Jacqueomo’s a few weekends ago, I left with the feeling that our meal really was a transactions. Maybe it was pacing or just me, but it felt like our food was solidy presented, but there was a lack of the feeling that we should sit back and soak up the experience. Honestly, the meal felt hurried.

We started with the oysters as an appetizer. They were good and unlike a lot of fried oysters, they were light, not slimy, and had a pleasant texture. I also had a chance to try the pecan shrimp which were very good and on the “order again” list for me. For my entrée, both my husband and I had the crawfish etouffee. Basically, it was ok. Seemed to me that the base needed a touch of thyme. Our fellow diners had the crabcake which I hear were good and the pork shank, which just seemed like way too much meat. To finish out our meal, I had the cobbler. Let’s’ say it was so memorable that I can’t remember if it was blackberry or peach. Someone out there who went to dinner, please weigh in on this one.

All in all, Jacqueomo’s was ok. As usual, it was a great night with friends. I just wish the food was more memorable.

Gone Fishing

2006-01-15T16:27:00.000-08:00

So, this really is a new post. I've been promising so many of you guys to share the word on Pescado's. Over the holiday we recently found out that the Tuesday tapas would come to an end. So, I wanted to make sure I posted about this place so you all would get a chance to show some support to a place located right here in the burbs. Read on to find out more.

Name: Pescado’s
Location: 13124 Midlothian Turnpike
Price: Entrée with drink- $30 per person

Look, we’ve been to Pescado’s a few times and quite honestly, we’ve never had a bad meal. I think I’ve committed to writing about this place because we are very committed to saving it.

As many of you Richmonders know, places around here have a funny way of closing- fast. Additionally, being that I live all the way out in the burbs, I know that good creative food is hard to come by in my parts. Yes, a few places are cropping up slowly (see my up coming post about Jack’s on Hull St.). Nevertheless, with the onslaught of the new BW-3’s and death by Bonefish (or Fishbone as my Grammy likes to call it), it looks like we are awash with the chain restaurant.

So needless to say, we were shocked and extremely excited to find Pesacado’s which is hidden in “the village of Midlothian”. It’s located in the one of many strip malls in Midlo, and if you weren’t looking for it, you’d never find it.

The first time we went, I didn’t know what to expect. Pescado’s is a cross between Gulf Coast/ Mexican/Spanish featuring is fresh fish and seafood. At the time, it sounded like a lot and given the location, I had my doubts. But needless to say, I am convert. The décor is beachy with Spanish vibe and the dining is causal. As you enter, there is a bar that looks like a neighborhood hangout spot and has a nice mix of specialty drinks. I like the white sangria though the red is pretty good too.

Though the seafood is the star, I like to think the defining element of Pescado’s is the use of very fresh ingredients. Yes, you expect fresh fish, and being that I’ve been during the weekend and the middle of the week, I can attest to the fact that it is on point at all times. Nonetheless, the freshness doesn’t just end there. The chef, yes they have a real chef, puts together flavor combinations that are both visually pleasing and quite tasty. Everything from the sugar coated tortillas and fresh salsa to the crab cake appetizers were fresh. The dishes are quite colorful and parings are done very well. I’ve had the seafood enchilada’s which included a mix of crabmeat, shrimp, and vegetables wrapped in a flour tortilla. The enchilada was paired with what seem similar to a potato pancakes with what looks like a remoulade. Even the salad, which features micro greens from a local farm, is incredible with bits of pineapple and citrus vinaigrette. The scallops are also good, but obviously not as filling as the enchilada.

Honestly, I can’t say I’ve had a bad meal here and it always leaves a smile on your face and a stuffed tummy.

Playing Catch Up

2006-01-09T08:16:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

So, I have been a serious slack in my updates. So, prepare for a blitz. First, I am going to try to implement a standard format. If you are a reader of the Post, I am going to try using the format similar to the one Tom Sietsema uses for his food column. Since this is all new, please give me your thoughts on the new format. Also, let me know if there are some things that are not included in the food post that you think would be good to know. And just so I can shake that feeling of Bowling Alone. Let me know if you are checking out the blog.

Happy Eating,
Erika

Happy New Year!

2005-12-31T12:49:00.000-08:00

Hi,

I just wanted to wish everyone happiness and prosperity in 2006. Next year, I promise to keep the posting more consistent. Hopefully, we will make new friends and have more people join our dining group and have readers share your dining experiences.

Funny, I've done a lot of eating out lately, but my best experiences this month have been Kuba Kuba and Pescados - two totally different experiences, but both pleasing. Kuba Kuba, in the heart of the city, is well-known for it's Cuban-themed faire. Pescado's is all the way out in Midlothian and features Latin-inspired seafood dishes. I promise to tell you more about both in the next post. But, in the meantime, enjoy and happy eating.

Volunteering for Richmond

2005-12-12T21:08:00.000-08:00

No, no, this post is not about food or entertainment. . .

So, I've been kicking around this idea for a few months and honestly, my husband is tired of hearing me talk about it ad nauseam. So, I am putting this out there to see what other people think.

I am not sure how many of you are tapped into the Richmond volunteer scene and perhaps this is just my experience. Nevertheless, I have noticed that there is no place for people with professional skills to link up with local organizations for whom they might wish to volunteer their services. Specifically, I am talking about a lawyer who always wanted to get into family law volunteering for a child advocacy organization. Or, someone who is interested in organizational development offering their help to a fledging organization.

Yes, Connect Richmond keeps my inbox loaded with offers to help with event staffing for this fundraiser and that one or stuffing a mailer. But, what I am looking for is a real forum for people who have professional skills to hookup with a organization. I've emailed Connect Richmond about this idea, and I haven't heard anything back. So, I am asking those in blogland to give me a little insight.

Does anyone know of a place that provides this type of forum, or are you interested in starting one?

The Big O, Southern Comfort, and NYC

2005-12-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

So, I went to see The Color Purple:The Musical in NYC this weekend. You'd think with the much ballyhooed Oprah appearance on Letterman, this would be a groundbreaking event. Yes, what could be so important as to make Oprah call a truce and endure another sardonic night of Letterman? Something related to Oprah of course. Now, I like Oprah and don't want to be a hater. But honestly, how many magazine shoots can one woman do? And, given the hype over the past few weeks about Oprah's play, you'd think the woman wrote the musical. Actaully, this story got legs awhile ago, thanks to NPR and an interview with Alice Walker. Honestly, when I first heard about this, I didn't think I'd go see the play. Cause really, Miss Celie really was ugly. Nonetheless, I drank the Oprah flavored Kool-aid on this one. Damn you, Oprah, and your favorite things.

Ok, enough about the big O, back to The Color Purple. The play was pretty good. All women's empowerment. The role of Sophia, which was played by Oprah in the movie was much more prominent, and we got answer to some key questions like, "Why the hell were Celie kids in Africa?" Overall, it was good and a nice trip "up North".

Up North. . . that brings me to the last part of the night. Trolling the streets of Times Square for barbeque. Now for all my southern peeps, you already know this is where the story gets suspect.

You see my cousin recommended this barbecue spot in Times Square, Virgil's, for a little after-theater dinner. Now honestly, I appreciate the idea, but I am thinking, "This is New York. . . the barbecue is gonna be interesting." So we went and strangely enough, my 'cue had the taste of a hotdog. It was weird, and only confirmed that if you want some good southern comfort food, stay in the South.

The List

2005-11-29T07:46:00.000-08:00

No this is not The List. Rather it is our little list. A couple of people have asked about the list of restaurants we use when we select a location for our dining group. Since you've asked, I am putting the list up for your perusal. Some we've tried and know are legit and worth another visit and others are highly acclaimed. Every now and again, we'll put something untested for pure fascination. It's like watching a bad accident sometimes. But hey, you gotta keep things fresh. So, enough chatter from me, here is the list.

October
Cafe Lafeyette
Millie's

November
Wabi Sabi

Places to Checkout
Lemaire
Lemone
1 North Belmont
Pomegranate
Acacia
La Petite France
The Original Bookbinders
Ruth's Chris
La Grotta
Julep's
Morton's
Cabo's Corner Bistro

Wabi-Sabi? Whatsup!?

2005-11-21T12:25:00.000-08:00

Wabi-Sabi?
Last night, our group went down to Petersburg. Yes, Petersburg, which is trying hard to get some revitalization going. We ate at Wabi-Sabi, and well, that leads me to today's blog.

What can I say? It was the grand opening and well- with most anything involving restaurant grand openings- wasn't too grand.

Decor
Let's start with the decor and the restaurant layout. The upstairs was well-laid out with interesting details like an old converted sink being used as a chilling area in the bar to the distressed wood and the shiny active kitchen. The upstairs was a hit and by the looks of the action in the kitchen, we were in for a good night. But, as we moved downstairs to the larger dining area, things changed drastically. First, the downstairs decor looked like a holdover from an old tavern and the large clunky booth-like tables only reinforced the feeling. And, did I mention the smoking area under a street grate. Yes, someone thought it would be a good idea to make a little smoking area the size of a closet that is entered from a door directly in front of patrons sitting in what we thought was a non-smoking area. Yes, as the smokers got drunker they became more chatty and our waiter apologized saying,"I'll never let them smoke again during dinner again." Thanks for the apology, but basically this was poor planning and should have been thought of beforehand.

Service
Now on to the service, our waiter was quite affable, but it’s never a good sign when a waiter starts the evening with, “well, it’s going to take a while.” Now, yes we were forewarned, but nice attitudes aside, no one should have to beg for silverware, water, wine without cork, and bread. Yes, it was a rough night, but disappearing acts aren’t acceptable. A quick check-in would have been nice regardless of missing supplies.

Food
On to the food, I started with the scallops with spinach, and they really were a show stopper. The scallops were seared ever so delicately, and the accompanying dressing was pleasant. My husband had what we thought was an Asian inspired salad, but with pecans, carrots, cucumbers, field greens, and a bland Asian vinaigrette, there wasn’t too much Asian about it. Our friends ordered the shrimp tempura that just never arrived. Yes, they never got it, but fortunately, there was some shrimp sushi lying around (yes, it does sound suspect). So, the waiter made a quick substitution.
On to the entrees, I ordered my grilled salmon med-well. Now, yes, this was a gamble in hoping it wouldn’t be dry, but this salmon tasted oddly baked and dry, and it was served with a tasteless cream sauce. I’ve had better. Actually, I had better a few weeks ago during restaurant week at Six Burner during Restaurant Week. My husband’s pork loin was overcooked and bland and our friend concurred. However, the soba noodle concoction was a pleasant surprise. It looked like a latke and had a smooth texture. Notice, I said concoction. If there ever was an example of a menu not adequately explaining a dish on a menu, this was it. My grilled snowpeas and peppers were pretty good but slightly salty. If it had not been for the bottle of wine we ordered, the hour and half wait between sitting down and getting our entrée with a salad somewhere in between would have been unbearable.

Restaurant Week and Richmond Dining Group

2005-11-19T15:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,
Again a long over due update, but after the last update I was left with way too much to say.

Restaurant Week
So basically, if you missed Restaurant Week, you missed out. We got a chance to visit 3 different spots and each night got even better.

Friday, we went to Six Burner, and I had a 3 course prix fixe with a salad, grilled salmon, and a rosemary cake. The salmon was awesome. The rosemary cake with vanilla pudding and lemon sorbet was an interesting twist, but unfortunately, the cake seemed to taste an awful lot like sausage.
Six Burner.">
Six burner has recently changed ownership, and I can't speak for the before but if our dinner was any reflection of the change, change is good.

Saturday, we visited Cafe Lafayette, which you can read more about below, and Sunday, we tried Millie's. Each meal was a great experience. Nonetheless, there did seem to be a lot of pumpkin ice cream going around. Speaking of dessert, though all around satisfying, the desserts appeared to be an afterthought. Appetizers and entrees were definitely the stars.

The Taste of Richmond Dining Group
As some of you know, we have a little group of folks that get together on a monthly basis to try a Richmond restaurant. We call it The Taste of Richmond Dining Group, with our events looking mostly like sit-ins since it seems like a group of young black people integrating a white establishment. Nonetheless, we are always looking to expand, so post something if you are interested in joining us.

We've had a great time at the two dinners we've organized (with varying result with respect to food), and we are planning to make this a standing invitation.
Last month, our group went to CafeLafayettee during Restaurant Week, and let's say it was just a phenomenal experience. The portions were insanely large. The Hooch Cake will make you shank your best friend for a piece, and the owners, Katie and Michael McKnight were super nice. They are now our favorite owners, and being that Katie gave us a great wine suggestion the next night at Millie's, it just goes to show they truly are a class act.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

2005-10-20T00:57:00.000-07:00

So you can tell, this poor blog has been seriously neglected. As some of you guys know, I have been out sick for a while. But, thankfully, I am on the mend and ready to put something on this sad excuse of a blog.

As you guys may know, a lot has been going on here in the RIC in terms of cultural events.

We had the Folk Festival here a few weeks ago. And, despite the rain, it was a great event. Yes, there could have been some more diversity in the performances. Nonetheless, I know next year is gonna be even better. Thanks, City Celebration, for bringing us such a great event.
I did get a chance to check out the 2 Street Festival. It was amazing to see so many people on Broad Street. Yet, the crowds and the noise just proved too massive.
Since winter is coming, it's time for the the theater scene to heat up. I am headed up to DC this weekend to see Othello. Avery Brooks, of Spenser: For Hire fame, plays Othello and the play has received good reviews. Speaking of good reviews, the Virginia Opera's production of La Travita is getting some good press. Check out this week's Style Weekly (paper version)for a coupon and come see the show. The opera is even doing a special effort to attract young people with their Operatini events. So please, show some love.
Finally, Restaurant Week is coming to town next week. Now, I am from Alexandria and can tell you that Restaurant Week in DC is insane and just a great experience. I am hoping my Richmond Restaurant Week is just as pleasing. With prices like this at restaurants like these, you'd be a fool not to try to these places. And, don't forget proceeds from Restaurant Week diners support the Central Virgnia Food Bank.

Ok, so it's not cultural event, but. . .

2005-08-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

So already by the second posting, this poor blog is going to become the victim of mission drift. Ok, but I think it is good mission drift. As someone who keeps up with local politics, I found this article to be pretty interesting. It is an analysis of the 63rd District House Race, and basically, it is a lesson in carpetbagging politics in an area too blighted to call it out. Hey, we all want to see P-burg get ahead, but sometimes the helper ain't what he's cracked up to be. Nice work South of the James!

Holla Back!

2005-08-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! I've created this blog to try to create a running calendar of events that are going on in the Richmond Metro Area. Right now, the I plan to focus on cultutral events going on in the area. Additionally, I'll include some events of interest going on in Washington and Balitmore since both are only a few hours away.

If you've got ideas or comments, holla back! Seriously, more information is greatly appreciated. I'd love for this to become a forum for people to meet, get together, and basically, get out there!

So, holla back, fool!