The804.com–Richmond VA Real Estate Blog

January 30, 2008

Richmond Braves are dead to me

Filed under: trends — the804.com @ 8:16 am

I’m loving this tit-for-tat Braves stuff going on in Style.  It’s sooo Richmond (To: Richmond Ballpark Initiative (Jon Newman, Tim Davey, Bryan Bostic, et al.) From: Scott Bass | To: Scott Bass (Style Weekly, et al.) From: Gary Armstrong, Richmond Ballpark Initiative)…

In this 2008 swan song season,  I  have decided not to go to any Richmond Braves games.  Patronizing the Braves would be the moral equivalent of babysitting your ex-wife’s dog while she and her new lover go on vacation to Hawaii or, maybe, Gwinnett.

There is an alternative.  VCU:

  • 8 NCAA Regionals 
  • 24 All-CAA honorees 
  • 16 All-Americans including current Detroit Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge 
  • 3 CAA Championships 

That’s right Ram’s baseball is played at the Diamond and will get all my baseball dollars in 2008.  Check out their schedule… 

  Fri, Feb 29  Seton Hall University   3:00 p.m. 
  Sat, Mar 01  Bucknell University (DH)   1:00 p.m. 
  Sun, Mar 02  Seton Hall University   1:00 p.m. 
  Tue, Mar 04  Liberty University   3:00 p.m. 
  Wed, Mar 05  East Carolina University   3:00 p.m. 
  Fri, Mar 14  Manhattan College   7:00 p.m. 
  Sat, Mar 15  Manhattan College   2:00 p.m. 
  Sun, Mar 16  Manhattan College   1:00 p.m. 
  Tue, Mar 18  Longwood   7:00 p.m. 
  Fri, Mar 21  Georgia State University *   7:00 p.m. 
  Sat, Mar 22  Georgia State University *   1:00 p.m. 
  Sun, Mar 23  Georgia State University *   1:00 p.m. 
  Fri, Mar 28  UNC Wilmington *   7:00 p.m. 
  Sat, Mar 29  UNC Wilmington *   2:00 p.m. 
  Sun, Mar 30  UNC Wilmington *   1:00 p.m. 
  Fri, Apr 11  Northeastern University *   7:00 p.m. 
  Sat, Apr 12  Northeastern University *   2:00 p.m. 
  Sun, Apr 13  Northeastern University *   1:00 p.m. 
  Tue, Apr 15  Univ. of Richmond   7:00 p.m. 
  Tue, Apr 29  VMI   7:00 p.m. 
  Wed, Apr 30  Norfolk State University   7:00 p.m. 
  Fri, May 02  Towson University *   10:30 a.m. 
  Sat, May 03  Towson University *   9:00 a.m. 
  Sun, May 04  Towson University *   6:00 p.m. 
  Thu, May 15  Univ. of Delaware *   7:00 p.m. 
  Fri, May 16  Univ. of Delaware *   3:00 p.m. 
  Sat, May 17  Univ. of Delaware *   9:00 a.m.

What about June-August?  Washington Nationals and Norfolk Tides!

January 29, 2008

A “Self-Styled” Glutton Opines

Filed under: restaurants — the804.com @ 10:28 pm

Style’s Short Order is literally my favorite column in Richmond.  Great restaurant news (usually breaking), gossip, and previews.  Today’s column Fighting the blogs, Infuzion at last, Moshi Moshi and more immediately brought to mind a NY Times article from last year entitled Sharp Bites. Both articles, touch upon the “proliferation of blogs treating every menu revision, construction permit, clash of egos and suspiciously easy-to-get reservation as high drama… forcing everyone from owners to chefs to publicists to get used to the added scrutiny.”

Now, Richmond ain’t Manhattan, but even within the last couple of weeks, I’ve observed an explosion of restaurant/food blogs in town (see this pattern over at the Good Life’s Restaurant page).  As someone who loves to get (and give out) dining recommendations, I think this democratization of restaurant reviews is a great thing.  Style is not so sure:

It’s difficult enough to open a small business in Richmond. And it’s more difficult still to fight the now-inevitable bloggery that follows, with every self-styled critic weighing in on matters big and mundane.  Those critics can not only squelch a squeamish customer base, but also make it more challenging for owners. 

Maybe, I’m misinterpreting, but there seems to be a slight twinge of elitism in using the term “with every self-styled critic“, as if the opinions of bloggers are somehow less legitimate than, say, a Style-styled critic.  As for this angle of being the friend of the “small businessman,” in the past, Style has had no problem ripping into restaurants and, thereby, their bottom lines with negative reviews (Baccus and Down Under recently come to mind). That feels like a double standard.

In case you’re interested in reading about the two case studies cited in the article, see:

———–

Last week, I said that I’d have a list of my favorite area BBQ.  Unfortunately, when I did further research, I found a crazy number of bbq joints south of the river (I guess as you get closer to North Carolina…)  And to think, I thought Southside was just Bennie’s, Brock’s, and King’s.  Nope, you got Creech Brothers, Papa’s, Eley, K & L, Little Pig, Meadowbrook, Pq’s, Rib Shack, Shibley’s, Turners, Perrin’s, and Hillbilly Red’s.  Haven’t been to any of them.  This is going to take a while.  I’m going to need a bigger statin.

January 26, 2008

No Van Halen, No Police, No Rolling Stones

Filed under: downtown, trends — the804.com @ 10:40 am

PLEASE READ: Save Richmond: The Future of Richmond’s Performing Arts.  This is the kind of olde time muckraking journalism that the corporate-owned media  no longer wants to touch.  Save Richmond is a civic treasure!

It’s worth noting here that the Richmond Coliseum is owned by the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. So RRHA Chairman Johnson joined SMG to bid for his city agency’s very own contract. Now, even in a town that doesn’t know the meaning of conflict of interest, that’s conflict of interest.

My personal beef with SMG actually stems from the Rolling Stones bypassing the capital city.  The potential conflict of interest I’ve always seen with SMG is that they book shows for BOTH the Richmond Coliseum and the John Paul Jones in Charlottesville.  Two competing markets?!  I have been watching in disgust as artists have bypassed the 804 for the 434, a city 1/5th the size: Rolling Stones, Clapton, The Police, Justin Timberlake/Timbland, Van Halen (played in Richmond back in the 1984 tour), Dave Matthews Band, etc.  

Sure, the JPJ is a much nicer venue, but it really makes me wonder whether SMG is actually “steering” productions to them over Richmond.  If another firm was competing for these concerts,  would Richmond book more shows?  Sure, we get the occasional Tool, NIN, and Chris Brown, but with all due respect, Soulja Boy ain’t Clapton….YOU! can’t get like me

BTW, we can do our part by simply not patronizing Charlottesville for “coliseum” music.   They absolutely depend on Richmonders to fill their building.

January 24, 2008

MashUP: The Old Times Dispatch Dog Learns a New Trick?

Filed under: trends — the804.com @ 9:57 pm

Thought I’d never see it…After ignoring them for so long, the Times Dispatch has finally acknowledged the existence of the Richmond blog community; albeit with one of their pet pilot projects, the YouTube-inspired MashUP / Mashup Blog (btw, would have loved to been a fly in the wall for that powerpoint pitch to the NYSE:MEG gray hairs).  

Yep, MashUP links to the area’s elite blogs (Buttermilk and River City Rapids), as well as “king aggregator” RVABlogs and the CHPN neighborhood blog network.  SaveRichmond (too hot of a potato?) is strangely absent; although, Urban Richmond (which has been very critical of the city paper as of late) is included.

In regards to the actual content, I tip my hat to this lean 6 person crew.  I learned some new things that were of personal interest (Bollywood Dance Party, I’m so there…Current.com Richmond…Comic book stuff…etc).  The topics covered have a RVAMagazine/Brick  feel (young folks talking about the young style).  Speaking of Brick, is it officially dead?  They haven’t updated the website in weeks.  Is this MashUP project the latest replacement targeting the 18-35 demo?

This isn’t an original thought, but what the TD needs to do is combine the best practices of Brick, the Thursday Entertainment insert, and MashUP into one unified website and free weekly pulp companion (Creative Loafing would be a great role model).  Don’t get me wrong, I love Style Weekly (at least, until the 700 Club buys them), but this town is big enough to have two competing free “alternative” weeklies (a la Charlottesville with its Hook and Cville).  When media competes, we win.

January 21, 2008

Glutton Opines: Richmond’s Best Hamburger List

Filed under: restaurants — the804.com @ 10:35 am

A Hamburger is warm and fragrant and juicy. A hamburger is soft and nonthreatening. It personifies the Great Mother herself who has nourished us from the beginning. A hamburger is an icon of layered circles, the circle being at once the most spiritual and the most sensual of shapes. A hamburger is companionable and faintly erotic. The nipple of the Goddess, the bountiful belly-ball of Eve.
Tom Robbins

Robble, robble, robble.
The Hamburglar

Here’s my list for Richmond’s Best Hamburger

Coming next week: Best BBQ!!!! (I have to hit a couple of Southside joints this week to confirm my rankings)

January 15, 2008

Richmond Baseball, Thinking Outside the Box

Filed under: Developments — the804.com @ 10:46 pm

the audience in Richmond are beyond description for rowdyism…treating all the visiting clubs to the vilest abuse.
Delaware Sunday Critic, 1884

A Richmond crowd thinks it their right, if not their duty, to ratify or disapprove the decisions of the umpire; but they ought to nonetheless, always to remember the presence of the ladies.
Richmond Daily Dispatch, 1884

Not much has changed in a 120 years…I realize everyone is piling on Mayor Wilder about this whole Braves thing, but I still think we are totally overreacting.  You know, it’s almost a blessing that the Braves are leaving…We can start this whole thing from scratch and have a real fun time creating something new and exceptional.

(1) Let’s start with new team name suggestions:

  • Historical Names (retro is always cool):
    • Richmond Red Stockings–This name would be an homage to the only Virginia Negro League team in history, the Norfolk Red Stockings.
    • Richmond Colts (1933-53)
    • Richmond Virginians (the precedent team of the Braves. They were the Yankees’ farm team. How about that?)
      Check out Baseball and Richmond: A History of the Professional Game, 1884-2000 By W. Harrison Daniel on Google books where you can read up on the history of Richmond baseball. (this is where I got the newspaper quotes).
  • Fun Names: (I’m a big fan of the Japanese baseball league. I love their fans and energy. I especially get a chuckle out of team names like Ham Fighters and Carp).  So, why not…
    • The Virginia Ham Fighters
    • Richmond Giant Catfish (an homage to the blues lurking the lower James)
    • Richmond Shad Roe
      I think a fun nickname would give the Richmond team a national cult following. Think of the merchandising possibilities.

(2) As for a stadium, the biggest mistake would be to take a boring cookie cutter approach. It’d be great to combine a classic, old-school “Fenway” look (take elements from the old Parker Field) with modern amenities/seating. I would try to maximize architectural seating design where fans are as close to the action as possible. Smaller, intimate is better. Creating a “danger to sellout” environment via scarce seating will create a self-fulfilling prophecy in this bandwagon town.
I believe Parker Field would be a great name for a new park. 

(3) I pose this question: What do NASCAR (On race night, RIR is the 8th largest “city” in Virginia); the Monument 10K (4th largest in the entire country!); Strawberry Hill races; and Urbanna Oyster Fest (half the attendees are Richmonders) all have in common other than being wildly successful events that bring together more people than a region this size is supposed to?

The answer: A-L-C-O-H-O-L. That’s right, Richmonders absolutely love a good cocktail party and will come out in droves for the right event. Our collective psyches are deeply rooted in either frat parties at Tech and UVA or Shockoe Bottom bars with fake ids (with late night meals at 3rd St or Aladdin’s). We love beer on a deep, psychological level.

Any new stadium design needs to keep this mind. My suggestion is to create the “world’s longest bar” along the outfield wall. Cordon this section off as Richmond’s largest happy hour (21+ only). I love the fact that we would do this in the shadow of the ABC corporate offices!

(4) Other ideas:

  • Designate a family friendly section, maybe, the third base side where no alcohol is served and cursing is not allowed. Have balloon artists, a kids fun area, etc.
  • Create a fun section where you can rotate “wacky” promotionals (hot tubs, easy chairs, massages, barber chairs for haircuts, ping pong tables, cockfighting arena, just kidding). Deep first base side near the bleachers might be a good place.
  • Add new food choices that show off the excellence of Richmond dining: Akida sushi? Mama ZU pasta? Gelati Celesti ice cream?

January 14, 2008

Ciao, Braves

Filed under: Developments — the804.com @ 10:57 pm

So the Braves are leaving for the greener* pastures of Gwinnett County (basically, the “Short Pump” of Atlanta)? (see Richmond Business: Richmond Braves moving to Atlanta — or is it just another rumor?  and Atlanta Constitution Journal: Richmond Braves coming to Gwinnett )

Tobacco Avenue’s headline of “Entire city reeling over inability of 250 Richmonders to continue attending R-Braves games” sums up my personal feelings.  

(in the voice of Allen Iverson), We’re talking Triple A, Triple A.  Only the nerdiest of baseball fanboys (A-Braves fanboys no less) really care.  From a practical average fan standpoint, there is absolutely no difference  if we wind up with a double A or even a single A team (though, you think the Nats or Orioles might be interested in partnering on Triple A?).  Pop quiz: name me three players that played for the R-Braves last year?  Ok, how about one?

Actually, from a baseball connoisseur perspective, Double A is a more exciting brand of baseball anyways from a prospects standpoint.  Half of Triple A rosters are filled with 30 something “has-beens” or “never wases” for insurance purposes for the major league team.  Elite prospects tend to go straight from Double A to the majors (As you recall, Andruw Jones only had a cup of coffee in Richmond).  Again, I’m straying a bit here as the average Richmond fan couldn’t care less about the number of “A’s” in the league.  They really just want to take their five year old, shag some foul balls, eat some hotdogs, watch the fireworks on the 4th, and bond.

We’re Richmond, Virginia, goddamit.  We’re the 60th largest market in the country, and we’re growing.  We’ll have another baseball team without even trying.  On our terms (no taxpayer boondoggles!).  If the Braves want to leave us, then I say, “oh u oh oh ooh…out the do-oh-oh-or.”

Last thing, who’s the business genius in the Braves’ organization that decided to cannibalize their own major league ticket sales by placing a more affordable minor league option in the heart of the most affluent area of the shared MSA?  I’d understand if they left us for Durham, Charlotte, or Columbia, but Gwinnett?  Why not just put the new team in Buckhead or Virginia Highlands?

*OK, with their drought issues and water restrictions, maybe not greener.
**Disclaimer: If this post seems a bit harsh, it has nothing to do with the author being a Mets fan. :)
*** The name for the new Richmond team should be the “Richmond Shad Roe” (an embroidered shad roe on a baseball cap would be cool and gross!).  The name of the new ball park should be called Parker Field.

January 12, 2008

Bus Rapid Transit Suggestions (VCU and the Boulevard)

Filed under: Developments — the804.com @ 9:34 pm

There’s some fantastic discussion in the Richmond blogara around the proposed arrival of “Bus Rapid Transit” and Trolleys in downtown Richmond:

This is exciting stuff.  The phase one East-West transit route will probably link Main Street Station/Shockoe Bottom to Willow Lawn (eventually Short Pump) via Broad Street.  The buses will fly through Broad via a combination of exclusive lanes and traffic light changing technology (where do I buy one of those remote controls!).  Presumably, major stops along the Broad St corridor could include (going East to West):

  • Main Street Station–One reader in the feedback section of the Times Dispatch article urges that Main Street Station should serve as our primary regional transportation hub (buses, taxis, Amtrak trains, shuttles to the airport, etc).  Great idea!
  • MCV/City Hall/State offices--I love the fact that city residents can hop on this shuttle to take care of City Hall or court business.  Parking is such a pain in that area.
  • Virginia Performing Arts Center/National Theatre
  • Convention Center/Coliseum--Finally, convention-goers can easily access the city’s tourist attractions.
  • Broad St Arts District
  • VCU/Siegel Center
  • Virginal Union/Lowe’s Hardware--Students from VCU and VUU will now have easy access to support downtown businesses.  What a great and affordable DUI-avoidance option for the party set. 
  • Science Museum/DMV
  • Boulevard (see my notes below about a complementary North-South line…)
  • Willow Lawn
  • eventually, the next stops…
    • Philip Morris/Westin/Hyatt 
    • Chain restaurant corridor hell (Fridays, Hooters, etc)
    • Parham Road/Henrico Government Center
    • West Tower Cinemas/Gelati Celesti area
    • Innsbrook
    • “Downtonwn” Short Pump

Two More Ideas: 

(1) Getting VCU in the Game

Wouldn’t it be great if the GRTC and City could somehow work with VCU on expanding the East-West options?  Currently, VCU runs a shuttle for students and faculty between the MCV and Monroe campuses via Grace Street (going west) and Franklin Street (going east).  See route map.  Now, imagine two east-west routes running concurrently (for all riders!).  One serving Broad Street, the other serving the Franklin corridor.  With the new Broad St shuttle, I’d change the VCU westward route from Grace (which’ll be served by the new Broad route) over to Main St.  That makes sense since the new business school is on Main.

If I’m not mistaken, there is a precedent here.  I believe UVA has worked with the city of Charlottesville in creating an easily accessible shuttle between the UVA campuses/hospital and Downtown Charlottesville.  This has worked really, really well and has contributed to the vitality of the Downtown Mall area.

 (2) North-South Route along the Boulevard

To really get this thing going, what about a North-South route on the Boulevard (with a major hub station on Broad/Boulevard).  Imagine the stops on the North-South line?

  • Dare I say, Lakeside?!
  • The Diamond/Arthur Ashe/Sportsbacker Stadium–where there’s ample parking to launch a day trip
  • The new movie theatre complex
  • Greyhound Station
  • Buzz n Neds :)
  • Chinatown bus
  • Boulevard/Broad, connection to the Broad St line…This hub would have to be really clean and touristy (maybe, put a Visitor’s Center there).
  • Stonewall Jackson/Monument Avenue
  • Virginia Historical Society 
  • Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
  • Carytown
  • Byrd Park
  • Maymont Park
  • James River North Bank Trail
  • Dare I say, Forest Hill?!

Think of this from the perspective of the tourist/conventioneer.  They now have easy access to visit all the great attractions that make Richmond, what I believe, the most hidden gem of the South.  A unified local transportation strategy could go a long way in showing off our civic bling.

One last thing, to do this right, the signage along the route has got to be dead on perfect.

January 8, 2008

Virginia Presidential Primaries Fact Sheet (Deadline for New Voters is Near!)

Filed under: Advocacy — the804.com @ 11:05 pm

This is going to be a fun race after all!  

So I was looking up some information about the Virginia primaries today, and I was really disappointed at the lack of organized information on the websites of the State Board of Elections, The Virginia Democratic Party, and The Virginia Republican Party.  Lots of practical information was buried, and I had to piece together how the Virginia Primaries on February 12 will work.  I truly believe that the Virginia primaries will play a crucial role in one or both of the races.

Some important information for all you first time voters out there: Deadline for voter registration to participate in the February primary is January 14 (that’s NEXT MONDAY).

I placed the following writeup on the Richmond Good Life’s Richmond Political Volunteering page:

Virginia Presidential Primaries Fact Sheet (also, see Virginia State Board of Elections)

  • Date of Both Democratic and Republican Primaries: Tuesday, February 12, 2008
  • Rules:
    • Must be registered to vote (for new voters, the deadline to register to vote is January 14, 2008.  Download PDF Voter Registration Application or visit a Library, DMV, elections office, etc. To learn more, visit the VA SBE).  If you are already registered, then all you need is to just show up to your regular polling location on February 12.  Polling Locations:
    • One Vote in One Primary Only: You can participate in either the Democratic OR Republican primary, but not both.  You do not need to be a registered member of either party in order to participate in either primary.
    • Hey, 17 year olds: If you’re going to be 18 years of age by November, 4 2008, then you can vote in the presidential primary!  See above links to learn how to register.
    • Absentee Ballots: February 5 deadline for absentee ballots by mail and February 9 by person.  See VA SBE Absentee Voting to learn more.
    • Our votes will ultimately be tallied to allocate delegates to their respective national conventions.

The Candidates

Democrats (in order of the actual Virginia ballot*)

Republicans (in order of the actual Virginia ballot*)

*The ballot position for the candidates were randomly determined by the State Board of Elections.
**I tried looking for local groups of ALL the candidates (via their websites and Google).  If I missed something, shoot me an email, and I’ll update.

January 7, 2008

Shop Local, Ski Whatever

Filed under: Advocacy — the804.com @ 1:04 am

Added two new sections to the Good Life.  Just in time for the winter season, a complete overview of nearby ski options: Virginia Ski Resorts.  Also, as a followup to a post I made last month urging folks to Shop Local for Christmas, I have created a new page called Shop Richmond First (complete with links to studies that demonstrate the value of choosing a local business over a big box chain). Lastly, the first iteration of the 2008 calendar has been completed. 

I’m starting to prefer these comprehensive resource pages over blogging in general.  Unlike a blog post which seems temporary and fleeting, creating/organizing a resource listing on a particular topic feels like I’m leaving something permanent and useful for my fellow Richmonders (and visitors).

January 1, 2008

Glutton Opines: Best Chinese Restaurants in Richmond (Question of the Week)

Filed under: restaurants — the804.com @ 9:47 am

My list is here.  Quick recap: (1) Yen Ching  (2) Peking  (3) Shanghai Restaurant (4) Mandarin Palace (5) Lakeside Chinese Carryout (details/summaries on the website)

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