Based on the opening of a new high school and a new middle school in the fall of 2010, Henrico County will adjust its attendance zones and is looking for imput from the community. 

The public is invited to attend one of the three informational meetings listed below:

Sept. 22 Highland Springs 6:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m.

Sept. 23 Deep Run High  6:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m.

Sept. 24 Hermitage High 6:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m.

Henrico is also seeking volunteers to serve on a community redistricting commitee. For an application click here.

The NASCAR Races are this Friday and Saturday.  So that means – avoid Laburnum Avenue and the Fairgrounds/Raceway area. Events run all day, both days, with the big event starting at 7:30 and 8 p.m. repectively.  So far, despite the rain from Hanna, but races are still on track to run.

Now that Whole Foods in Short Pump is open (as of yesterday) and Trader Joe’s has announced a Sept. 26th opening date, Richmond is in good hands for the fall as the local farmer’s markets start winding down.  My favorite Lakeside Market vendor, Mike Wiblin, is done for the season at Lakeside. But Charlie, over at Victory Farms will continue as long into November as Mother Nature allows.

Word on the street is that there was barely room to move in the Whole Foods yesterday, not to mention shop. They even called in the cavalry — okay, not the cavalry, just the police — but close enough. I mean you’d think Richmond had never seen a natural foods store before or something! Oh, how I’d love a photo of that!  Locals are already writing about it.

But you have to admit, eating locally, organically and chemical-free is becoming more and more important to Richmonders, and folks everywhere.  The best way to do this of course is to buy from the farmer directly — but if you can’t Whole Foods and Ellwood Thompson’s both offer a huge selection of produce from local farmers. Whole Foods in fact, offers loans to farmers who want to expand their operation to sell to Whole foods. Pretty Cool!

I don’t know if Ellwoods has seen any decrease in business yet, but they’ve come up with a pretty good marketing plan — getting folks to take a Locavore Challenge of eating at least one meal per day made with local ingredients.  Including a kick off potluck Sept. 8th at 6:30 p.m. in their community classroom, and an end of the season Celebration: Locavore prix fixe meal at Edible Garden on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m.  Other Richmond area restaurants that feature local ingredients include Savor, Six Burner and of course Zed  who I often see at the farmers market buying his veggies in bulk from Charlie at Victory Farms.

As for me, I shopped at the 17th Street Farmers Market this morning, my hubby ran to pick up our last berry share last night, and I guess Whole Foods will have to wait until I’m out in Short Pump anyway, which may be a while.

 Here is the link, hours, phone, and address for the new Whole Foods:

8 am-10pm

The South of the James Market is cancelled for tomorrow (due to tropical storm Hanna).  Instead, there will be a North of the James Market from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday at Crossroads Art Gallery at Staples Mill and Broad streets.  Ahhh, just what I’ve been wanting — a farmer’s market in the Near West End.  Here’s an email from Gina over at Victory Farms.

Crossroads Art Gallery, 2016 Staples Mill Road, just north of Broad Street, from 1-4pm on Sunday, September 7th.

 

Tell all your friends!  It will be as many of the usual Saturday vendors as are willing and able to come out so there should be a nice selection of other items as well as CSA pickup. … [There will be] salad, arugula, eggplant, peppers, okra, edamame, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, bunched greens, scallions, string beans, apples.

My 3-year-old and I stopped by Cafe Caturra Coffee & Wine on Grove Avenue near Maple this morning to check it out.   It opened last week, and I’ve been driving by and wondering — why is it attracting so much attention. Every time I go by, it’s busy.  Really busy considering that most of the customers have found out by word of mouth and there is a Starbucks directly across the street!

My 3-year-old was immediately impressed with the “candle lights” on the stone patio. And, he’s right, the gas lamps, and the beautiful stone work really set the scene.  Every detail has been attended to. Not only does this place have gorgeous stonework everywhere, and black ironwork, it also has huge fireplaces. Instead of the tables being the standard height, the ones near the front of the patio are bar stool height so you can really see what is going on all around. The place is just beautiful. They’ve used rich wood paneling on the inside. And small architectural details like refinished antique wood doors for the bathroom, that really set it aside from its competitors.  If I had to describe the place I’d say it is a strange cross between Flemings Steakhouse, Starbucks and Panera Bread. 

Caturra is passionate about coffee. Passionate about wine. And they are passionate about the details. The workers there were very helpful and friendly — letting me take a menu and pointing out that for $4.95 they had a variety of kids meals from PB&J to a turkey sandwich.

What else makes Cafe Caturra unique? Their wines are on tap! And, they must sell alot of wine! They use Argonne gas to keep the air sealed out, and then have some sort of system that “taps” the bottle.  Red and white wines are kept in separate refrigerated compartments and are stored (as they should be) at different temperatures.  They also offer a really cool 1/2 glass of wine, most of which are $3. (a full glass is $6-8 and bottles are mostly $22-$28). The worker I spoke with explained that the 1/2 glasses are popular at lunch and also for folks who want to try several kinds of wine.  Cafe Caturra is happy to give a taste of any wine you’d like to try, and they rotate their selection so you never know what you might find there.  The barista was happy to share a few of her favorites mentioning that many of the wines they cary are unusual.

In the main area of the restaurant you will find a coffee roaster (yes, they roast their own coffee on site!) and bags of green (not roasted) coffee sitting in burlap bags on the floor.  I loved this.  I showed my son the green beans and the roasted beans side-by-side and he thought that was pretty cool.  The bathroom again features more rich wood, a lamp with olives on it, and just a touch of color with a blue ceramic hook on the door. They have not just one porch in the front but also a beautiful back porch.  Did I mention that the art is amazing? Currently they have a Rothko-esqu painter from Midlothian — Paul Germain who’s got some marvelous pieces up.  I understand the art is on rotation,  I can’t wait to see what goes up next.  

I know, I know. You want to know how the food is!  I can’t tell you. I had just eaten breakfast when I stopped by and didn’t buy anything. But the baked goods looked gorgeous. My son was trying to convince me that the huge cookies, left out in a huge pile on a plate near the register was a sample! The $2 price tag seemed a bit steep to me for a cookie, but you are paying for the atmosphere.  The menu is mostly sandwiches and salads with fresh baked bread and cheeses. Again the prices reflect the atmosphere, but are not much higher than Panera (mostly in the $10 range).  My only request for the menu is that they offer more vegetarian offerings.  There is a vegetable (humus) panini and a cheese panini, but neither appealed to me because I could make something similar at home.  I think I’ll go back and try one of their salad or the made from scratch soup, which seem to be a specialty. And definitely the wine.   The homemade egg salad sounds good, but it is made with prosciutto. Some of the really great looking offerings are the Caturra signature curry chicken (homemade chicken salad with curry, honey, romaine and tomato), the beef and horseradish panini and the raspberry walnut salad.

I’ll keep you posted on the food. My guess: it won’t be long before I’m lured back to Cafe Caturra by the wine, or dragged there by my 3-year-old who is dying to have one of those cookies.

The press release sort of speaks for itself, read on for precautions due to Tropical Storm Hanna:

       Due to the impending arrival of Tropical Storm Hanna and its
potential impact on the area, County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E.
has authorized a declaration of local emergency for Henrico County.
Residents are advised to take the following measures and precautions:

*       During the storm, stay indoors and away from windows.
*       Secure or bring indoors lawn furniture, garbage cans or other
items   that may be affected by strong winds.
*       If a tornado warning is issued, move quickly to an interior room
of      your home or building.
*       Avoid using candles during a power outage; use flashlights
instead. Do     not cook with open flames indoors.
*       Generators should only be operated outdoors in a
well-ventilated, dry    area; never operate a generator indoors or in an
attached garage.
*       Watch for downed power lines and weakened structures.
*       Never attempt to drive through standing water. If you cannot see
the     lines on the roadway, do not drive in the water.

Thankfully,  it looks like all traffic complications due to NASCAR will be postponed until Sunday due to Tropical Storm Hanna.  Here’s the message from the NASCAR website:

Due to inclement weather from Tropical Storm Hanna, NASCAR and Richmond International Raceway officials have announced all weekend activities, including tonight’s Emerson Radio 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, as well as tomorrow night’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race have been postponed to Sunday.

 

The Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. Sunday. The Emerson Radio 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race will follow the Sprint Cup Series race at 7:00 p.m. 

 

All Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race tickets will be honored at the gate Sunday for the 1:00 p.m. Chevy Rock & Roll 400.

 

All Emerson Radio 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race tickets will be honored at the gate Sunday for the 7:00 p.m. Emerson Radio 250.

 

Track parking lots will open at 7:00 a.m. Sunday.

Artdaily reports on the University of Richmond’s new Inuit Art show that opened yesterday.  Looks like the modern works are worth checking out. Here are the details:

Opening September 5, 2008, the University of Richmond Museums presents the exhibitions Arctic Spirit: Inuit Art from the Albrecht Collection at the Heard Museum and Transformations: Inuit Sculptures from the Collection. These exhibitions explore major themes and techniques in Inuit art-making, as well as the role of art in contemporary Inuit culture.

On view at the Harnett Museum of Art from September 5 to November 16, 2008, Arctic Spirit presents the rich artistic heritage of the Inuit of Arctic Canada, a people whose nomadic way of life was interrupted by the Western fur and whaling trade during the early 20th century. In the 1950s, Inuit hunters turned to sculpting, drawing, and printmaking to earn an income after the collapse of the whaling and trapping industries, with highly successful results. In some Inuit villages today, more than 20 percent of the adult population is employed in the art industry. Arctic Spirit gives an account of these people and their artwork, from the prehistoric carvings of their ancestors to experimental sculptures and prints created by some of Canada’s most famous artists.

The works featured in the exhibition also illustrate popular themes in Inuit art, which include nature and animals, everyday life, shamanism, and the supernatural. Inuit artists often tap into their cultural belief that humans are merely one part of a large and complex natural world. For example, animals such as the polar bear (nanuq) are thought to be near-human rivals of the Inuit. By weaving these traditional ideas into their work, Inuit artists have introduced their heritage and culture to the “southern” public, and have also preserved it for themselves during a period of rapid Westernization.

Organized by the Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona, the exhibition is a program of ExhibitsUSA, a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance and The National Endowment of the Arts. The exhibition was curated by Ingo Hessel, Albrecht Adjunct Curator of Inuit Art, the Heard Museum. An illustrated exhibition catalogue with an essay written by Hessel and published by the Heard Museum, is available for purchase.

Arctic Spirit, presented as part of the 40th anniversary of the Harnett Museum of Art, is dedicated to the memory of Joel W. Harnett, RC’45 (1926-2006). The art museum was named the Joel and Lila Harnett Museum of Art in 2005 in recognition of the generosity of the Harnetts throughout the years and for their nurturing and leadership of the museums at the University of Richmond.

On view at the Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature from September 5, 2008 to June 14, 2009, Transformations: Inuit Sculptures from the Collection showcases contemporary Inuit sculptures with a focus on the artists who made these works and their culture, past and present. In just one hundred years, the lifestyle of the typical Inuit person has transformed from nomadic hunting to a sedentary, more Western lifestyle. Today, many Inuit continue to adapt to a cash economy and struggle to maintain their cultural identity. Making sculpture provides an outlet for both of these needs, providing income and preserving Inuit heritage.

As Inuit culture continues to change, their sculpture changes as well; older sculptors recorded memories of their nomadic childhood. But younger generations of carvers, who have been educated in Western schools and were not exposed to many aspects of Inuit culture, discover their heritage by creating sculpture. Some younger artists featured in Transformations, such as Manasie Akpaliapik, Abraham Apakark Anghik, and David Ruben Piqtoukun, have moved to cities such as Toronto and sculpt abstract or nontraditional sculptures very different from those of their parents. The stone, bone, antler, and horn sculptures were selected primarily from a recent gift to the University Museums by Ms. Virginia A. Arnold. Although most of the artists depict age-old customs and subjects, none of the pieces in the exhibition are more than twenty-five years old.

Organized by the University of Richmond Museums, Transformations was co-curated by Richard Waller, Executive Director, University Museums, and Schuyler Swartout, ’11, philosophy major, University of Richmond, and 2008 Arts and Sciences summer research fellow in the University Museums.

Here’s a back to school note from Kim Bridges the Richmond City School Board Rep for the Near West End:

Bridges for Schools
Back-to-school update
 
Dear 1st District school community members, supporters, and other interested bystanders,
 
I’m taking the rainy day to catch up on school board activities like this one and getting the tremendous piles of paper from 21 months of work into some sort of workable filing system.  Hope your Saturday’s a little more exciting.
 
Speaking of exciting, the first week of school was certainly that.  After dropping off my two middle schoolers at Hill (I can’t believe I have 2 middle schoolers now) I attended the “Boo Hoo” breakfast for new parents at Munford.  What a great turnout and the perfect way to demonstrate a welcoming environment.  (Note to MMPTA leaders:  as I was walking back to my car, I overheard a grandmother and mother saying, “What a fun school!” I’d consider that undeniable confirmation of success.)
 
At Hill, the welcome began last week with the ice cream social for new students.  In its 3rd year, this one had the biggest turnout ever.  Rave reviews there as well as the kids had to complete a clue hunt to find key areas in the building before diving into sprinkles galore and the craziest sundae combinations you can imagine.  Aside from the positive reviews from both of the students at my house, the community feel at Hill is palatable at daily dismissal, where you see lots of parents eager to ask “how was your day?”  and more walkers and bikers than ever (and energetic little skateboarders!  Where do they keep their boards during class Mr. Kight?)
 
I stopped by Community right before school began to welcome teachers back and greet the new principal.  This wasn’t my first interaction with Dr. Beatty, though.  Minutes after he got the job, he was asking me about getting parents and the community together.  Then he met with some parents and me on his day off.  His enthusiasm for this program is contagious, and with a 100% college admission rate (and, for this Wahoo, a very notable 1 out of every 6 seniors attending UVa) he’s got a tremendous foundation to build upon.
 
The new principal at TJ also dove right in to community outreach when she attended the Sauer’s Garden Civic Association picnic in the middle of the summer.  That neighborhood is where TJ is housed, and they have seen how easy it is for some students who take GRTC to school to decide to wander the area rather than going through the school doors.  When I saw Ms. Roan this week, she told me excitedly that she’s now got a full-time community resource officer in place to help those wondering children find their way.  I was so pleased that she didn’t just listen to the neighbors, she acted upon their comments. 
 
As for me, summer with the school board seemed just as busy as a school year.  I’ve been working on improving our enrollment procedures, revising our Student Code of Conduct with a more positive and user-friendly format (notice any difference elementary parents?), helping with the Superintendent Search, working with the new Superintendent to identify areas for improvement, leading our vastly improved audit oversight duties, finalizing the new procurement procedures as we revamp that entire department, determining the best use of closed school buildings, working to get enhanced custodial services, trying (but not succeeding yet)  to get the summer school requirement changed for really advanced 6th/7th math students…that’s all that’s at the top of my head.  Let me know if you want a full list and I’ll head down to my (hopefully) organized filing system to compile it.
 
These are not the sexy issues that get media attention, and maybe I’m too immersed in them to not have an unbiased opinion, but I do see them as critical building blocks for a good school system. 
 
This week, the charter school issue dominated our other actions.  I have not had much inquiry on this issue from the 1st District, but I do feel that I should give you a quick view since it is a high-profile item.  I voted to approve the charter school in May, and I voted to approve the contract we had negotiated on Tuesday.  We had a contract that had been developed through negotiations with both partners.  The board had 3 months to provide input on the contract and we had ample opportunity to review the end product for as long as we liked.  Two of us–Betsy Carr and me–took advantage of the offer and went in advance of the meeting to look it over.  I read it thoroughly and thought it was workable and reflective of both parties’ interests.  PHI had already signed it so I was ready to let them roll. 
 
Three board members have been very consistent in their opposition to this charter, and I respect their views because I believe that their votes represent the prevailing sentiment of their districts.  So, four of us who had supported the charter were ready to move forward, but the fifth previous “yes” was not.  Based on numerous public statements he has made, I realize that this on/off-again charter drama has little if anything to do with the length or depth or breadth of the contract.  Indeed, contracts for charters vary just as much as the 4,000 charter schools across the nation do.
 
Charter schools remain hot-button items and their novelty in Virginia makes it a challenge to get one started.  It’s an imperfect process (which I’ll be working to improve at both the school board and General Assembly level this year) that must address many concerns in order to be successful.    We have to do what will work in Richmond, Virginia if it’s going to succeed.  Ask Mr. Muzik, Mr. Kight, Dr. Beatty or Ms. Roan about what they must do every day/week/month and year in order to educate every child–it’s challenging work.
 
My goals remain the same as they have been throughout this process:  to increase community involvement and innovation to educate the city’s children in the best way possible.  The Patrick Henry supporters have indicated that a charter school is the best way to do that in their community, so I have supported them in their endeavor.  They have expressed their desire to educate every child too, regardless of ability or background, so they seem well-aware of both the obligations and the latitude they’ll have to do that as a charter school.  If we share the same goals–and I believe that most of us do–we should be able to come together to make that involvement and innovation happen.
 
Next up, a quick list of back-to-school dates.  In the mean time, please share your thoughts, questions, and comments with me at my school e-mail address.  We’ve also improved our Freedom of Information process, so all school board communications now go through kbridges@richmond.k12.va.us for easier public access.  (I’m sure future generations will want a record of the profound insights I share with you, right? :)
 
Kim Bridges
1st District School Board representative

Don’t forget to check out the fabulous food at the 50th Anniversary of the Armenian Food Festival at St. James Church next weekend.  The Armenian Food Festival, will be Sept. 18-21. See our calendar for times.  Also the Women’s Guild will hold a silent auction on Friday night from 5-8 p.m.  Here is the basic menu — there are plenty of meat and vegetarian meals.  

Lunch & Dinner Items

• Rice Pilaf ( Armenian Style)                                      $2.75 
• Fasoulia ( Armenian style green beans)                     $2.75
• Cheese Boreg (philo with cheese filling)                    $2.75
• Spinach Boreg (Philo with spinach filling)                  $2.75
• Yalanchi ( Stuffed grape leaves)                                $2.00
• Lahmajoon ( Armenian meat pie)                              $3.00
• Bean Salad ( Armenian style)                                    $3.00
• Hummus with pita Bread                                           $4.00
• Pita Bread                                                                $1.00   
• Beef Shish Kebab                                                    $8.00
• Chicken Shish Kebab                                               $6.00
• Hye Burger ( Ground Sirloin & ground lamb)            $7.00
• Hye Burger Combo with Rice and Fasoulia               $12.00

Bakery & Dessert Items

 

          Bourma                                                                       $1.25

• Khourabia ( Armenian Sugar cookie )                          $1.00
• Pastry assortment ( 3 in a pack )                                  $4.00
• Simit ( Slightly sweet )                                                  $4.50
• Choreg ( Braided holiday rolls )                                    $4.00
• Holiday Bread ( Sweet Armenian Bread )                     $6.00
• Paklava                                                                        $2.25
• Pastry Trays                                               $15.00  & $20.00

Beverages

• Soft drinks & water                                                       $1.50
• Armenian coffee                                                            $3.00
• Armenian Beer                                                              $4.00
• Shushi premium Pomegranate Wine ( Per glass )            $6.00
• Shushi premium Pomegranate Wine ( Per Bottle )          $20.00
• Khoran Armenian wine (Per glass)                                $5.00 
• Khoran Armenian wine (Per bottle)                               $15.00
• Massaya Classic White (per glass)                                $5.00 
• Massaya Classic White ( per bottle)                             $15.00