HE`S SO ORIGINALHE`S SO ORIGINAL
2
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Wednesday, March 17, 2010, 0 comments

 

none
4
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Wednesday, March 17, 2010, 0 comments

 With four sisters, four daughters (from left, Nora, Hazel, Grace, and Willa) an editor/wife Jessica, and a dog named Rosie, it was high time the author/historian tackled a woman's adventure story. Out this month, Dean's long awaited Unbound: A True Story of War, Love, and Survival, retraces China's Long March. Thirty women were among the 86,000 Communists who embarked on the treacherous 4,000-mile journey in 1934. One year and 4,000 miles later, fewer than 10,000 soldiers - and all 30 women - survived.

none
22
Views
He`s So Original
By Skirt.com, Wednesday, March 17, 2010, 0 comments

With four sisters, four daughters (from left, Nora, Hazel, Grace, and Willa) and a dog named Rosie, it was high time the author/historian tackled a women’s adventure story. Out this month, Dean’s long awaited Unbound: A True Story of War, Love, and Survival, retraces China’s Long March. Thirty women were among the 86,000 Communists who embarked on the treacherous 4,000-mile journey in 1934. One year and 4,000 miles later, fewer than 10,000 soldiers—and all 30 women—survived.

398
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Monday, February 1, 2010, 0 comments

What does chocolate say about the man who’s giving it? “He’s focused on you,” says the artisan chocolatier who’ll turn out 50,000 pieces of Gearhart’s Fine Chocolate for Valentine’s Day. “At Christmas, guys buy for everyone on their list,” Tim explains.

none
491
Views
He`s So Original
By Angelia_editor, Wednesday, December 9, 2009, 0 comments
Rob Petres is bringing dance to Dogtown

How’s this for original?  The artistic director of Ground Zero Dance Co., Rob’s known for his groundbreaking choreography. He’s a rock star among the budding ballerina set, teaching a dozen classes each week at The Village Dance Studio. And the former residential contractor is also overseeing renovations of his Dogtown Dance Theater, a performance space scheduled to open in Old Manchester this spring. “So many talented dancers and choreographers leave Richmond in search of a city that can support their work,” he says. “Manchester’s become our arts district and I wanted to create a place where modern dance can emerge and grow.” Opening night at Dogtown Dance Theater, scheduled for May, will feature an original work choreographed by, who else?  Rob.

529
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Thursday, July 2, 2009, 0 comments
Jonathan Austin Never Drops the Ball

Sure, he’s our go-to juggling unicyclist. But Jonathan’s got card tricks, comedy and magic up his sleeve, too. And who else offers a “24-hour emergency juggling service” in this era of offshore outsourcing? With otherworldly hand-eye coordination, he tosses flaming torches and bowling balls as casually as the tennis ball trio he mastered at age 12. He’s performed at the White House, Disney World, a Presidential Inauguration, and countless backyard birthday parties. But for Jonathan, the crowd’s the thing: "There’s no bigger rush than seeing people laugh and have fun.” You’ll spot him this month at First Fridays, Saxon Shoes Stroller Stories, and the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Duck Race, revving up Brown’s Island on the 25th. But let's get one thing straight girlfriends: The skirt stays with us.   



What’s the best thing about wearing a skirt?  Makes me feel like eating Yoplait and watching Oprah! 



What do you like about reading skirt!?  It’s fascinating to read about all the neat women in Richmond—many of whom I’ve met.

juggling
495
Views
He`s So Original
By Megs, Tuesday, June 2, 2009, 0 comments
Malcolm Andress

With every scoop, Malcolm’s serving up business training for urban youth. His fat-free, dairy-free Soul Ice comes in 26 creamy, guiltless flavors and his cart is the classroom for students learning business basics. “We teach marketing, customer service, sales, and finance,” he says of  his Life Skills and Entrepreneurship program. Along the way, students discover where their passion lies and how to express that in a business setting. With a Master of Theology, Malcolm views business mentoring as his ministry. “As small businesses in underprivileged communities erode, the youth lose their role models. Ask those kids about business and it’s a fantasy—they’ve never met an African-American entrepreneur, never seen how it works from the inside.” When they complete the program, students can invest in their own Soul Ice cart and, Malcolm hopes, pay it forward.

What’s the best thing about wearing a skirt? 
A man can’t fully appreciate the adjustments women make to wear a skirt, until he’s tried one on.

What’s the best thing about reading skirt!? 
“It’s like joining a conversation with a group of warm, intelligent, funny, passionate women.


 

421
Views
He`s So Original
By Angelia, Wednesday, April 29, 2009, 0 comments
Brett Bonda Inspires Kids to Dance

One stage. Two days. 1600 fourth-graders. “It’s exhilarating,” says Brett, director of Minds in Motion, the Richmond Ballet's outreach program, and its finale at the Arthur Ashe Center. The shows put 800 students on stage at once. “It’s as polished as any Richmond Ballet production—the cast members just happen to be fourth-graders,” says Brett, a former principal dancer. Teachers at the 22 area schools that have adopted Minds in Motion report improved concentration and self-discipline. The choreography reinforces classroom material and builds on memorized dance steps from week to week. "You can see their minds working through movement,” he says. “For this year's explorers theme, we collaborated with the Virginia Air and Space Museum and NASA." So far, 10,000 children have participated in the program since its 1994 launch. “When kids are exposed to the arts, they’re more likely to participate in and support the arts as adults.”

What’s the best thing about wearing a skirt:
  “Any opportunity to embarrass my two sons, I’m all over it.”

What do you like about reading skirt!?   “It gives me a little insight into a woman’s psyche.” 

454
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Friday, April 3, 2009, 0 comments
Slash Coleman Teaches Good Grief

Students in his Storytelling Bootcamp write and perform monologues drawn from personal experience. "For every ten kids I teach, four have suffered a tragic loss," says artist, playwright, and educator Slash, whose PBS monologues The Neon Man and Me grew from his best-friend's death. "Storytelling has the power to diffuse negative energy, giving it a channel to escape." Slash took his Bootcamp curriculum to high schools when Governor Kaine pronounced April the Month of the Grieving Child. "I see inner-city kids who are walking time bombs; they need an outlet. I also see the power of my work with them." Grieving or not, Bootcampers, like this St. Catherine's minimester class, address big-picture issues like love and trust. Adds Slash, "Most kids wait patiently their entire lives for someone to ask them the important questions."

What's the best thing about wearing a skirt? I get to show off my eccentric taste in socks.

What do you like about reading skirt? I like the music playlist and the 24/7 page.

Richmond VA
727
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Wednesday, March 4, 2009, 2 comments
U of R Women Have Bob Schumm on Speed Dial

His card reads Fabulous Taxi, but U of R students just call him Taxi Bob. Four years ago, he traded his corporate cubicle for a Lincoln and quickly built a student fan base. "These girls, the seniors and juniors, they're the ones that started referring me." A freshman who scores Taxi Bob's number is in luck, the girls say. His cell phone blares two ringtones-- Pink's Let's Get The Party Started for girls; Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) for boys-as he shuttles students to the airport, Shockoe Bottom ("Karaoke night at Sine Irish Pub, they love that"), and concerts at the Landmark. Along the way, he dispenses fatherly advice on everything from sorority rush to boyfriends to bowling. "It's like having 300 kids," says Bob, who takes his responsibility seriously. "My motto is: You drink, I drive!"

What's the best thing about wearing a skirt? Elastic waistbands.

What do you like about reading skirt! It's fantastic especially the She Said / He Said page.

Richmond
1,108
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Monday, January 5, 2009, 1 comments
Noah Scalin kept his resolution for 365 days.

When he posted a paper skull cutout on the web and promised to create a skull-a-day for a year, Noah never imagined he'd draw an international crowd. But his witty designs-crafted from Cocoa Puffs, a hotel sheet, bubble wrap, even condoms-drove fans to his site to see what he'd think of next. "It was like running a creative marathon. Around day 140, I started wondering what I'd gotten myself into." His website, skulladay.com, won a 2008 Webby People's Voice Award; Lark Press published his book titled, of course, Skulls; and Martha Stewart chatted him up on her TV show. When he's not making skulls, the artist/activist heads the design firm, Another Limited Rebellion, and teaches socially-conscious design at VCU.

What's the best thing about wearing a skirt? "I used to wear one in college every now and then. If it looks good and its comfortable, why not?"

What do you like about reading skirt! "I've always been a feminist so it works for me."

none
553
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Sunday, November 30, 2008, 1 comments
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.

none
344
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Saturday, November 1, 2008, 0 comments
Chris Rubenstein beefs up vegan cuisine.

No meat, no eggs, no dairy, no problem. Chris works culinary magic on quinoa, tempeh, and made-from-scratch seitan at Ipanema Café, on Grace Street near Harrison. "I grew up around animals," he says, explaining his vegan diet. "Even when I worked in a barbeque restaurant and had to cook whole hogs, I'd put a vegan special on the menu, hoping to open people's eyes to something different." His hearty entrees were a hit. "People started coming in for the vegan stuff. We always sold out." At Ipanema, vegan dishes like five spice grilled tofu with peanut-cilantro pesto share the menu with a single fish entrée, allowing Chris to pour a lifetime of experience into his work. "Finally, I can cook everything I love-and actually serve it!" 

Web Extras: 

Chris developed his vegan chicken salad when he worked for Ellwood-Thompson a few years ago.  People still ask for it and, he says, “it’s definitely fooled some meat-eaters.”

The Barbeque restaurant was in Raleigh and, yes, Chris had vegans coming in for his weekly vegan specials. 

none
246
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Thursday, October 16, 2008, 0 comments
Ward Tefft believes in bikes and books.

When Ward and his friend, Shelley Briggs pull the MbookMobikeMobile into city neighborhoods, kids of all ages come for free books and bike repairs.“We want to make books and bikes cool,” says Ward, owner of Carytown bookstore, Chop Suey Tuey. “Kids get excited; they can take all the books they can read.” He’d always wanted a bookmobile; she dreamed about mobile bike-repair. So the longtime buddies bought a blue bus in 2007 and drove from New York to New Orleans promoting literacy and alternative transportation. This Fall, look for Ward and Shelley around town; or drop a book in the donation box at his store. “We do it to give back to the world,” says Ward. “..and to have a great time.”

 

What’s the best thing about wearing a skirt?This one’s got pockets, so it’s great for carrying bike-repair tools.

 

none
192
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Sunday, August 31, 2008, 0 comments

Actors, authors, artists, and musicians count on Kirk to seal the deal. An entertainment lawyer and managing partner of Schroder Fidlow, PLC; his clients include director John Singleton (Hustle and Flow), actress Cloris Leachman, Tru-TV’s psychic medium John Oliver, and Universal Pictures.

none
342
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Thursday, July 31, 2008, 0 comments
Dr. Frank Iuorno is one in six million.

How many orthodontists are also oral surgeons?  “In the whole country?” says Dr. Frank Ieurno a bit sheepishly,“maybe 50.” Ten years ago he left the on-call life of an emergency surgeon and returned to medical school to become an orthodontist.

none
605
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Wednesday, May 21, 2008, 0 comments
Travis Massey will do anything for cancer research
His grandfather founded the VCU Massey Cancer Center. His parents raise research funds. His brother co-founded Massey Alliance—a volunteer network of young professionals. And Travis makes cancer his business, too. The biotech company he helped launch is developing a blood test for tumor cells. An Alliance board member, Travis volunteers at MCC community fundraisers like the Monument Avenue 10K. “The race raised $500,000 for cancer research.” Coming June 13, the group hosts Moonlight Magic Wine Tasting at James River Cellars. “It’s a tremendous success.
none
209
Views
He`s So Original
By Constance, Thursday, May 1, 2008, 0 comments
Duane Byrge traded Hollywood for Richmond

A film critic for The Hollywood Reporter, Duane’s a regular at Sundance, the Oscars, and Shockoe Roastery. After 19 years in tinseltown, he now calls Richmond home. “I visited the Virginia Film Festival and was bowled over by the beauty and casual elegance of the state.” Duane’s reviews still sway Hollywood dealmakers. (“They’re all looking for the next Little Miss Sunshine.”) But these days, Professor Byrge is busy inspiring his students at Virginia State University in Petersburg. And after graduation? “I fly to Cannes for the Film Festival.”

none
216
Views
He`s So Original
By cwalker, Monday, March 31, 2008, 0 comments
He's So Original | Will Clarke Wants To Change Your Plates

One year after his wife Eva was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, Will decided Virginia needed a new license plate. “I wanted to destigmatize diabetes and raise awareness.” Delegate John O’Bannon, MD, sponsored a bill granting Will two years to design, approve, and pre-sell 350 tags.

none
453
Views
He`s So Original
By cwalker, Tuesday, March 4, 2008, 0 comments
Kelly Hughes Throws A Powerful Party

He’s chilling the bubbly for the Grief Relief Gala, set for March 29 at the ScienceMuseum. This party-with-a-purpose benefits Comfort Zone Camp, founded by Kelly and his wife, Lynne, in 1998. Since then, over 3,000 children from 35 states and Canada have attended the weekend bereavement camps that mix traditional fun with emotional healing.

none
223
Views
He`s So Original
By mlalonde, Sunday, February 3, 2008, 0 comments
David Robbins asks “Got a problem with it?”
His eighth novel, The Betrayal Game (Random House), was inspired by the 638  documented CIA plots to assassinate Fidel Castro in the months before the Bay of Pigs.   “It’s one of the great historical head-scratchers,” he enthuses. Braiding history with fiction, David’s stories spring from the question: what if?
none
900
Views
He`s So Original
By papersalad, Sunday, December 30, 2007, 0 comments
Jack Indigo wears pink proudly.
You’ve probably woken up with Jack. The morning voice of Mix-103.7, he lends his support to dozens of local charities: The Richmond Animal League, Central Virginia Foodbank and The Faison School for Autism, to name a few. But the cause closest to his heart is The Susan G. Komen Foundation. “My wife, Julie, is an 8-year survivor of breast cancer. She’s the strongest woman I know,” he says, adding, “It’s not just a woman’s issue; breast cancer affects everybody.” A Missouri native, Jack’s lived “up and down the dial” from Alabama to Tennessee and now Richmond.
none
336
Views
He`s So Original
By mlalonde, Friday, October 26, 2007, 0 comments
Drs. Burke, Tye and Gullquist heal children in need.

For families in Belize, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic the surgeons of International Hospital for Children are a welcome sight—whatever they’re wearing. On twice-yearly visits, the docs perform life-saving pediatric surgeries (Dr. Alan Burke specializes in facial, plastic, and reconstructive; Dr. Gary Tye, neurosurgery; and Dr. Sandy Gullquist, cardiology). And they train local medics in essential surgical procedures.

none
397
Views
He`s So Original
By mlalonde, Monday, October 1, 2007, 0 comments
Jason Tesauro minds his manners

If James Bond and Emily Post had a love child, he’d look a lot like Jason. The author of The Modern Gentleman’s Guide to Essential Manners, Savvy, and Vice, Jason puts a contemporary spin on proper behavior. He tackles the rules of romantic entanglement in his second book, The Modern Lover: A Playbook for Suitors, Spouses, and Ringless Carousers. Social graces, Jason insists, equip a man for romance—and for life.  In his Modern Gentleman Seminar Series, held at The Ritz-Carlton, he teaches aspiring D.C.

none
 
Featured Artist Pep Montserrat