photo by Agata Schoenborn

Demetrios Tsiptsis puts the new in New Year’s Eve.

When he reopened the New York Deli in 2005, Demetrios wanted to celebrate. "Mexican restaurants do Cinco de Mayo; Irish pubs have St. Patrick's Day," he says."I figured New York Deli? New Year's Eve? They go together." He pictured a Carytown block party with a homemade chickenwire ball dropping at midnight. "Everybody said Richmond would never go for it-so I did it anyway." Byrd theater manager, Todd Schall-Vess, built a killer electric ball, Black Cash offered to play gratis, Demetrios chilled the bubbly, and 8000 people showed up. "Far beyond anyone's expectations." Carytown's second New Year's Eve brought 20,000 revelers and a prestigious VMFA Muse Award for it's creator.Coming this year: a fashion show, beer gardens, live bands, and jumbo screens. "It feels like Times Square but our ball doesn't drop at midnight-it goes up!"

What's the best thing about wearing a skirt? I'm just gladit's not a pantsuit.

What do you like about reading skirt!? I like to check out United Skirts of America to see how many resaturants I know. I even catch the poetry, sometimes.