Richmond Daily Photo

Byrd Park

2006-05-18T21:16:00.000-04:00

Byrd Park's Fountain Lake is a great place to rent paddleboats or watch the fireworks in July. Just two blocks from my house it's also a great place to go for a walk--or dry your clothes.

An American Afternoon

2006-05-17T21:22:00.000-04:00

It's a shame the middle of this picture is a bit washed out, but this is a typical afternoon in my neighborhood: people walking their dogs and chatting up wide sidewalks of tree-lined streets. Nope, you don't have to remind me why I love Richmond!

Two Roads Diverged

2006-05-16T21:17:00.000-04:00

Heading west, here you are on the I-195/The Downtown Expressway reaching a critical question: Southside or West End? It does of course mean you're leaving the best part of Richmond (in my opinion): The Fan.

The road that leads you to the Southside is the Powhite Parkway, which brings about an interesting controversy. Apparently, in a a move towards political correctness started by the First Market Bank and the Ukrops family (virtual royalty and another subject for another day) launched a 2001 ad campaign declaring the pronunciation to be "Pow-hite": pow like in the word "powder". But Richmonders are stubborn. The only people you'll hear say "Pow-hite" are the traffic reporters-- 99% of Richmonders will tell you that it's pronounced "Po-white" and make the politically incorrect inference that you will.

Starlite Cafe

2006-05-15T23:13:00.000-04:00

Just across the street from Avalon is the Starlite Cafe. It was recently remodeled adding these cool windows to the front porch. This is where my mom had her best Mother's Day Brunch ever (according to her), even though it turns into quite the bar in the evenings.

Do "Yamin" It, Richmond?

2006-05-12T22:40:00.000-04:00

Richmond is absolutely crazy for its very first American Idol, Elliott Yamin! Yesterday, Fox flew Elliott back into town to visit family and spread some hometown love. He was on the radio yesterday morning then yesterday afternoon they lead a parade up the Boulevard from the Carillon to the Diamond where he sang the anthem and threw out the game's first pitch.

It was very amusing to see all of these fans lining the street. The guy in the yellow shirt next to the gold sign kept leading the crowd in different cheers: "Give me an E, Give me an L..." It was great to see my city act like a small town!

Clothes for Sale?

2006-05-11T22:02:00.000-04:00

In Byrd Park yesterday I came across an interesting collection of items and no owner. At first I couldn't figure out if there was a man with no shirt on and twelve or so bare feet, but eventually a homeless man came out of the shade trees over on the left and asked me what time it was. I can only assume that he was trying to sell these items--although I'm not quite sure--maybe they just needed a little bit of sunshine.

Avalon

2006-05-10T17:18:00.000-04:00

Take a guess as to what this might be? Boutique? Second-hand shop? I really like the reflection in the window because it gives a perfect sense of the neighborhood atmosphere that surrounds the Fan District (my favorite part of Richmond--although I might be a bit prejudiced). Don't they do great window vignettes? They added that during renovations a few years ago.

Oh, still curious? It's actually a great little restaurant and bar right down the street from Black Swan books.

Black Swan Books

2006-05-09T17:58:00.000-04:00

Black Swan Books has moved down to my neck of the woods in the last couple of years, renovating a great building on the corner of Main and Robinson. Apparently, they do most of their business in rare and out-of-print books here in the virtual world. Aren't they charming?

After the Rain

2006-05-08T20:31:00.000-04:00

A sunny (stock) picture for you today since the we're having such dreary weather. I thought it might brighten your day.

Construction

2006-05-04T10:12:00.000-04:00

I think that I might be obsessed with construction. I think it is the coolest thing to watch them hoist unimaginably heavy objects with other incredibly large objects. The large panel just to the traffic light was being lowered and swung around by the crane. Unfortunately, I don't feel like this shot captures how amazing it was to watch. This site will be one of VCU's new buildings set to open sometime next year.

Richmond Skyline

2006-05-04T00:07:00.000-04:00

Richmond skyline as seen from Belle Isle.

Belle Isle Footbridge

2006-05-03T07:10:00.000-04:00

This double-decker bridge leads by foot to one of the most scenic places in Richmond proper: Belle Isle. Pedestrians take the suspended footbridge (suspended beneath Belvidere St) to cross over to the 54 acre playground. Today it's full of hiking and bike trails, families and dogs, but in the past it's served many, many purposes. According to their sign it's been a Colonial race track, a steel/iron factory, and a POW camp during the Civil War (there are more that I can't remember as well). As you can see, it has a beautiful view of the James River and if you click on the picture you can see the old bridge pilings (from 1934 when it opened as a 4 lane toll road) before this one was built in the 1980s.

The Movies

2006-05-02T15:57:00.000-04:00

According to USA Today, the average price of a movie ticket is $6.21. I'm not sure where these guys go to the movies, but it certainly isn't here. We went to the movies the other night and it was $8.50/person! There's been a lot of chatter recently about the decline in theatre popularity, etc and most say it's due to high prices and poor quality films. I found some great stats in the same article from USA Today. I remember now why we always go to the Byrd Theatre for the second runs!

Happy May Day

2006-05-01T00:02:00.000-04:00

Happy May Day to everyone. My good friend Eryn snapped this photo today as we watched people dance around the Maypole. I thought it'd make a lovely desktop for us this month!

I'd like to apologize for my absence this last week. I've been contemplating whether or not I have time to continue Richmond Daily Photo and even went so far as to announce to the other DP bloggers that I was moving to weekly. But then, all week, people kept visiting and commenting and every time I got a new comment I realized how much I missed it. So I'm back, having realized that I missed it too much. I hope you all enjoy!

Life Sciences Building

2006-04-24T07:03:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately this enormous "man" is not painted on the wall, but I think he's really interesting. This is VCU's Life Sciences building, which is named after the current univesity president (Eugene P. Trani). VCU is my alma mater and this opened right around the time I graduated. The school has done some amazing things for the neighborhood--twenty years ago no one wanted to live in Richmond's Fan District because of crime and dilapidation and VCU provided much of the catalyst that makes this neighborhood as cool as it is today. I will say though, they wrought havoc on the parking situation!

Carillon Star

2006-04-23T21:20:00.000-04:00

I posted photos of Richmond's Carillon before which was constructed to honor the men who served in WWI, but at the foot of this amazing bell tower lies another monument. This large gold star honors the Gold Star Mothers from WWI. It's a really interesting group that still exists today to provide support for mothers who have lost a child to war. The name comes from the gold stars that families used to hang in their windows after the wartime death of a soldier. I think it's particularly appropriate that this waits patiently at the foot of the soaring 240 tower representing their fallen children.

Happy Haircuts

2006-04-22T08:31:00.000-04:00

Don't you think this chair would make your next haircut so much more enjoyable? A little small perhaps...

Bird's Nest

2006-04-21T07:05:00.000-04:00

"Whores don't live in company of poor men, citizens never support a weak company and birds dont build nests in a tree that doesn't bear fruits." -Chanakya

Museum Expansion Encore

2006-04-20T10:50:00.000-04:00

Another picture from the Virginia Museum of Fine Art Expansion. Progress is coming along and I liked the worker carrying all of his plans and things. Only moment before he was struggling to keep ahold of all of the papers. Also, this is the huge black fence that I sneaked a peek around to bring you this post.

Rachel Weeping

2006-04-19T07:12:00.000-04:00

Today, 43 years ago, Waffen SS soldiers attacked the Warsaw Ghetto. You can read more about it here, but it was a heroic/bittersweet moment for Jews during WWII. I chose today instead of Holocaust Remembrance Day because of a story I heard on NPR this morning. I like the story of resistance.

Called "Rachel Weeping for her Children", this statue was dedicated in 1987 and tucked into the side yard of the Sacred Heart Cathedral. It's the the only public Holocaust memorial in the USA to be commissioned by a Roman Catholic diocese, as well as the first in Virginia. The cathedral is located within Virginia Commonwealth University's campus and I vividly remember the first time I noticed the statue. I was moved to tears.

You can read more about the statue's construction and symbolism, as well as view a full picture on Linda Glissen's website (the artist).

Hula Hooping

2006-04-18T21:55:00.000-04:00

Nothing better than public defacement with a sense of humor!

Manic Monday

2006-04-17T06:55:00.000-04:00

Cloudy, rainy day here in Richmond today according to the weatherman, so I thought I'd post a picture of the beautiful weather we had here this weekend.

I know I said that there's nothing like coming home after vacation, but there is nothing like going back to work after a vacation either--except that it's entirely different ;).

Happy Easter!

2006-04-16T14:33:00.000-04:00

A little bit south of Richmond today--at Mom's for Easter. I thought I'd share her fabulous spread with all of you! Hope all is well for those of you celebrating today.

Chit-Chat

2006-04-15T00:28:00.000-04:00

There is nothing like coming home after vacation. Thanks to everyone for the comments while I was gone and again a big thanks to Nicola for her help!

This shot was taken along Monument Avenue, which Jeopardy! has the Champs-Elysées of the South. Full of amazing private homes, churches, and monuments to Confederate heroes (and Arthur Ashe, but that's a story for another day). I thought these ladies personified exactly why the original architects put porches all across the neighborhood!

Residential Renovations

2006-04-14T08:43:00.000-04:00

The last shot in my Urban Renaissance series is another sneaky construction site shot. This is the hallway of an apartment building that is currently undergoing complete renovations. It's a very typical style for the neighborhood with the molding in the hallway and black painted wood paneled doors set on an angle.. This hallway curves a little to the left and there are probably 3-5 other doors just like this one. Cutting into the shot on the left you can see the stairs going up to the other two stories, in the Fan almost all of the apartment buildings are three stories.

They're doing a much more thorough job than many of the "renovations" that I've seen in the neighborhood. All new windows and doors (authentic to the original styling) and you can see they've completely reframed the interior walls and ceilings.

Thanks again to Nicola of Wiesbaden Daily Photo for her help while I'm out of town!

Passover

2006-04-13T07:30:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd take a day out of my Urban Renovations series to honor Jewish Passover. Tikvat Israel is a beautiful synagogue located on Boulevard and Grove Avenue across from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Again, thanks to Nicola of Wiesbaden Daily Photo for her help while I'm out of town.

Mall Repairs Part Two

2006-04-12T07:53:00.000-04:00

Here's part two of the Will Lawn Mall renovations. I liked the orange and mustard colors together and I really thought this would be a useful tool for when we paint the outside of our house here in a few years.

Again, thanks to Nicola of Wiesbaden Daily Photo for her help while I'm out of town.

Mall Repairs Part One

2006-04-11T07:57:00.000-04:00

Willow Lawn is the mall closest to Downtown Richmond and it is undergoing massive renovations. I thought his bright red trash bags were a great color.

The new trend in Richmond is open-air malls designed to mimic the "Downtown" feel. They're great in the Spring and Fall, but in the rain/snow/heat they're the worst of both worlds. You've sacrificed the individuality and quirkiness of the downtown for corporate schlepping and you don't even get climate control in return. It's my understanding that they're trying to turn Willow Lawn into one of these downtowns in the suburbs malls, but at least it will be renovated.

Again, thanks to Nicola of Wiesbaden Daily Photo for her help while I'm out of town.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Expansion

2006-04-10T07:32:00.000-04:00

This is a second photo of The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is expansion. Yesterday's picture would be directly to your left and this will be the site of the new parking deck, gardens, and gallery space. Some of it is supposed to be finished this year, but they still seem to have a lot of work to do!

I would have really liked to do a panoramic, but they have black construction fence in front of this (I sneaked the camera in through a crack).

Again, thanks to Nicola of Wiesbaden Daily Photo for her help while I'm out of town.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Expansion

2006-04-09T07:45:00.000-04:00

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is expanding! They're adding a sculpture garden, a 600 car parking deck, and 100,000 sq. feet of gallery space. You can see the original building here as well as the proclamation that they are certainly still open for business!

Again, thanks to Nicola of Wiesbaden Daily Photo for her help while I'm out of town.

Dump Truck

2006-04-08T00:06:00.000-04:00

To start my series of Urban Renaissance, I thought I'dhonor the most necessary tool for renovation: the dump truck. Isn't it funny that we must start with such dirty things in order to renovate and make things new?

Again, thanks to Nicola of Wiesbaden Daily Photo for her help while I'm out of town.

Spring Break

2006-04-07T00:33:00.000-04:00

Today is my last post before I head off to Spring Break in Montreal! I thought I'd leave you with a summery picture. Our weather has been beautiful here and all of my students are breaking out their summer footwear. Turns out these aren't just for the beach and shower any more!

Note: I'll still be posting this week while I'm out of town. Look forward to an Urban Renaissance series.

Lucky Number 13

2006-04-06T00:02:00.000-04:00

This lucky apartment, #13, is located on Richmond's Boulevard. Basement apartments are are a cheap way to live on a pretigious street, but I'm sure I'd miss the natural light.

When I was a kid we lived in Northern Michigan and my father was obsessed with a local house that was built entirely underground. The house was extremely ugly; it looked like an unfinished foundation. He'd go on and on about the great insulation, cost effective heating, and just the general cool factor. It turns out he's right about the cost efficiency, but I'm going to have to go with a no on the "cool" factor.

My Fair Richmond

2006-04-05T00:05:00.000-04:00

It's good to know that Audrey Hepburn, one of my favorite film and fashion icons, inspires my fair city. When I spotted this young lady waiting for the bus, her style really caught my eye (had to be the scarf!). I did a little editing to add ambiance to the shot, let me know what you think (you can also check out the original).

By the way: Did you know that Audrey Hepburn was born in Brussels?

The Thunder Rolls...

2006-04-04T00:08:00.000-04:00

We had our first thunderstorm of the year this evening and I got to try out the "Quickfire" setting on my camera. I was on the wrong side of town to catch the wicked bolts, but I thought this made an interesting series showing just how bright it was. My little dogs were deathly afraid, but I really enjoy a good storm every once in awhile, how about you?

Warning Parents!

2006-04-03T07:04:00.000-04:00

I found this sign in the window of ZohaR Gift Gallery (formerly Jack B Nimble Candle Shop). ZohaR is a shop that sells exclusively Judaica and is the only commercial store of its kind in central Virginia. As you can see they carry some beautiful items...just keep track of the little ones!

Mom's Siam

2006-04-02T18:30:00.000-04:00

This is a shot of the bar in Mom's Siam's new building. They had a busy weekend since they're right across from the Byrd Theatre. We ate there the other night and had a good waitress and great Thai food (mmm, drunken noodles).

I really like this mural as well. The buildings in the back are a stylized Richmond skyline and the bridge is a train bridge (the CSX Mainline bridge) that runs parallel to the Powhite Parkwary to southside. I've really been wanting to shoot this bridge, but haven't figured out how yet. The only place I've seen it from is a highway bridge, so I can't exactly stop and shoot, but this summer when school is over, I should have time to find a way.

The Byrd Theatre

2006-04-01T09:08:00.000-05:00

Richmond is home to the VCU French Film Festival, the biggest film French film festival in the United States. It's held every year at the Byrd Theatre, a Richmond Landmark in and of itself. The theatre is well known for it's extravagent decor and was built in 1928. It's never been remodeled and the original pipe organ still rises up out of the floor and is played every Saturday night.

There are a total of eleven chandeliers, this being the main one. It is over eighteen feet tall and weighs two and a half tons. It was lowered most recently in 1997 to be cleaned and relamped and the Byrd Theatre website has some really interesting photos of the process.

This is another desktop calendar page. If you click the image the resolution should be right to use as your desktop background! I have a few pictures of the rest of the building as well that I'll post sometime soon.

Payphone Woes

2006-03-31T08:36:00.000-05:00

Can you remember the last time you made a call from a payphone? I can. It was in Junior High after a basketball game and I needed my mom to come pick me up. I'm pretty sure that I was wearing my favorite outfit which involved a flannel vest, courdory shorts, navy tights, and hiking boots.

I took this photo on my way to work this morning and started chatting with my husband about the disappearance of the payphones. I and decided to do a little online research to look into the payphone and I've put together a list so that you can determine your role in the great payphone debate!
-For the world traveler: At Payphones of the World you can see a photo album of different phones all around the world.
-For the ludite (who happens to have internet access?): You can locate your nearest payphone using the Payphone Directory.
-For the anarchist: In The Anarachist's Cookbook you can learn how to steal money out of payphones.
-For the academic: You can read Wikipedia's Article on payphones as well as the online History of the Payphone.
-For the advocat: If you're looking for a cause to support, why not the payphone? You can join the Payphone Project. They are apparently the source for all things payphone on the web.
For the entrepeneur: Find out all the answers about starting your own payphone business using this FAQ.
For the socially concious: Check out the American Public Communications Council's arguments for the benefits of the payphone.

Lichtenstein

2006-03-30T09:38:00.000-05:00

Today's photo comes with an interesting history (that and I think Lichtenstein is one of the most fun words to say). I've probably eaten at this café two dozen times, and never noticed their front stoop until this last weekend. This is the entrance to Café Gutenberg, a café and book lounge near the 17th Street Market.

My curiousity was getting the best of me, so I emailed the café, and this is what I found out. According to Steve Graca, the proprietor of Café Gutenberg, the building was originally a peanut roastery opening in about 1913. These tiles were placed circa 1940 when new owners, the Lichtensteins, opened a pharmacy that remained in business for about 20 more years. The Main Street Grill came next and remained for 30 years (to which he added that he plans an equally long stint to his café).

I also discovered that they don't have any plans to change the tiles, which is a great plan in my opinion! Here in Richmond, there is hidden history all around. It turns out you just have to ask.

1 North Belmont

2006-03-29T08:46:00.001-05:00

In order to build excitement about the VCU French Film Festival this weekend in Richmond, I thought I'd bring you a picture of the best French restaurant in Richmond. One North Belmont (on the corner of Ellwood and, well, N. Belmont) opened last year and is run by Chef-Proprietor Frits Huntjens.

The food is absolutely fabulous (if you go on a weekday, you may be treated to a special hors d'oeuvre by the chef) and since I'm not a food critic, I'll let our local newspaper tell you about the fare. I've eaten there on two occasions: once for my anniversary and once as a special event for The Richmond French Meetup Group and it was worth every penny. Frits is very friendly and welcoming, making sure to greet each table, and he was so accommodating for my French Meetup Group that he created a special appetizer and wine menu and he even gave us a gift certificate to raffle off.

I suppose it must suffice to say "Bon Appétit!"

Creep

2006-03-28T20:19:00.000-05:00

Virginia Commonwealth University is a huge force in Richmond and one of the nation's top art schools. But living in a city with that many aspiring artists means that you never know what you'll see around the next corner! Take, for example, these paintings that I noticed yesterday in an apartment window on Belvidere Street--I'm sure they were just looking for a little free gallery space, but I certainly thought that these guys were disturbing!

Sorry about the missing post in the middle of the day today--blogger troubles.

Monday, Monday

2006-03-27T08:42:00.000-05:00

Monday, Monday
Can't trust that day.
Monday, Monday
Sometimes it just turns out that way.
...
Every other day
Every other day
Every other day
Of the week is fine, yeah.
...
But whenever Monday comes
But whenever Monday comes
You can find me crying
All of the time.

You can click to see the large size version of this poor driver's plight, and you can also view the uncropped version.

The Sidewalk Cafe

2006-03-26T11:21:00.000-05:00

Just looking at this mural makes my mouth water. This is another Ed Trask mural, painted on the side of The Sidewalk Cafe. Oddly enough, there is no outdoor seating; does anyone know that story?

Regardless, the Sidewalk serves a great brunch (mmm...and mimosas) on the weekends and a great beer on the weekdays. If you go, I highly suggest the quesadillas-but you'd better be hungry!

The American Way

2006-03-25T08:33:00.000-05:00

A few week's back, Eric posted a fabulous picture of an empty chair. Today, I'm posting the American version.

Now, yes, of course there are beautiful restaurants and even cafes in Richmond and across the United States. But what is more quintessintially American than appropriating something from another culture, reducing it to it's base ingredients, and then mass marketing it now that it bears no resemblance to it's origins?

Did you catch it? I've just done it with this post! For us, it's all about the spin you put on things...

17th Street Market

2006-03-24T08:58:00.000-05:00

This is the 17th Street Farmer's Market located right next to the Main Street Train Station and during the spring/summer/fall weekends, it's usually bustling with activity.

Unfortunately, during the winter, especially on weekdays, this area of town is a bit deserted and a less pretty side of Richmond shows. In Richmond, we have more than 1200 homeless adults, 49% of whom graduated from high school and 38% of whom are employed. If you're interested in more statistics on the homeless in Richmond, you should read Marc Leslie's work: Statistics on the Population of Persons Who are Homeless in Greater Richmond, VA, which was just updated last year.

Pretty in Pink

2006-03-23T08:18:00.000-05:00

My neighbor's cat decided to pose for a photo and I was more than happy to oblige. That and I thought it was a nice day for a little pink tinge.

In Like a Lion

2006-03-22T07:07:00.000-05:00

Out like a lamb. Or so the old saying goes.

Between snow and spring buds, Richmond's weather doesn't know what it wants to do!

In a Van, Down By, The River

2006-03-21T07:09:00.000-05:00

This van was a new addittion to the grocery store that I religiously visit on Sundays (does that mean when I die that I will be surrounded by fields of fresh produce and a smashing bakery?). You really should click on the image to see this guy in all of his green-hazed glory.

Is this someone famous that I should know? Because I've pretty much decided that he looks like the male version of Miss Cleo.

Renovations

2006-03-20T07:02:00.000-05:00

Part of being the typical American homeowner means the obligatory Sunday spent at Lowe's or Home Depot (or both). My husband and I are always working on our 1928 townhouse and yesterday we did a bit of gardening. Always armed with my camera, I thought you'd like the artistic arrangement of this rather mundane building material.

A. P. Hill

2006-03-19T10:32:00.000-05:00

General Ambrose Powell (A.P.) Hill stands at the very busy intersection of Hermitage Road and Laburnum Avenue on the North side of Richmond and was part of Lewis Ginter's development of the the Ginter Park neighborhood. He fought under both Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee in the Civil War and is buried under this monument.

This is the only monument to the General, even though he was neither born here, nor considered Richmond his home, although there is Fort A.P. Hill Army Base about an hour north. It just goes again to show you how Richmond will love anything from the Civil War (well, any Southern thing).

The Landmark Theatre

2006-03-18T17:41:00.000-05:00

Sorry, for the late post today folks. St. Patrick's Day required a little bit a recovery time for me.

This is a photo of Richmond's Landmark Theatre, formerly known as "The Mosque." It was originally constructed by the Shriners in 1928 and has been owned by the city since 1940. It hosts a huge variety of programs from school proms and music competitions to Chippendale dancers to the Virginia Opera and Ballet.

My favorite part of the theatre is that it is entirely mosaic inside and as one might guess from the minarets atop the roof, is decorated entirely in Saracenic murals and patterns. It also has a ballroom, a pipe organ, and a swimming pool!

Vintage Vehicles

2006-03-17T08:45:00.000-05:00

I was told by my husband that I had to post this picture. According to him, it's a Volkswagon Kharmen Ghia (thanks to Bob, I now know that is is not a "Carmengia" like I originally thought). I picked it because I liked the colors and the Carytown setting and being as I know almost nothing about cars (except that I like mine to run), I'm imploring t you, my readers tell me more. Is this a nice car? Is this a car you would want? Is a car like this worth anything? Help me impress my husband!

Running Errands

2006-03-16T08:21:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we had such beautiful weather. It was go outside and grill and work in your yard kind of weather. But this week's weather? What a terrible disappointment after that taste of Spring! So, it looks like we'll all be celebrating St. Patrick's day in our green sweaters and sock instead of shorts and t-shirts. But, at least the cool weather gave me this photo! This is one of the downtown bank buildings and I just loved the color of this man's sweater.

"Luxury" Apartments

2006-03-15T12:03:00.000-05:00

Richmond is very big into renovating its historic buildings into homes, trendy lofts, and cute businesses, but I've been looking at this sign for at least two years now! You can correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears to be Spring 2006 and I'm not sure that I'd consider these the lap of luxury quite yet. I wonder what the hold-up is because this is a great downtown location and renovated I'm sure it would bring in a small fortune.

The Virginia War Memorial

2006-03-14T09:51:00.000-05:00

A bit of a somber photo for you today. This is a photo of the Richmond skyline taken through the glass windows at the Virginia War Memorial. The glass walls feature the names of 11,631 Virginians who died in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf. I'll be returning soon at night, because the soaring white statue, "Memory" is amazing when lit from below.

When my brother and I visited, we spoke to a man who had fought in WWII and he had me thinking, that as the WWII veterans become fewer and fewer, what about the future veterans of our current conflict in Iraq? We all have respect for WWII veterans, but look what happened to our men who served in Vietnam? It's very frightening to me to compare the war in Iraq to the Vietnam War. Did you realize there are approximately 93,000 homeless Vietnam veterans today (approx. 2.4 million were stationed in Vietnam during the war), many with undiagnosed mental illness? We've already sent more than one million soliders to Iraq. How many will return? And having seen the fate of Vietnam veterans, how can we make it okay for them to return?

Bicycling 2006

2006-03-13T06:57:00.000-05:00

What do you call two elephants on a bicycle?

Optimistic. (go ahead and taunt, it's a bad joke)

But, when I saw this bike this weekend I was truly baffled. We have a lot of bikes here in Richmond, but they usually fall into two categories: Racing/touring bikes with their riders decked out in spandex, and Old school Schwinn's with their riders decked out in band t-shirts.

Anyone ever seen one of these before?

Here's looking at you, kid

2006-03-12T10:14:00.000-05:00

The (now defunct) Mega-Movies mural is one of Richmond's many great pieces of wall art. Located in Shockoe Bottom, it was painted by rogue artist Ed Trask in 1995. I had never seen it before the other weekend, but I'm in love with it. I love old movies; one of my favorites is Breakfast at Tiffany's. What about you?

Trivia Time:
I'll give points today if you can tell me

A: What movie today's title is from (no Googling, that's cheating!)
B: What movie this painting emulates (bonus points if you can link us to a picture!)

Joyeux Anniversaire Paris Daily Photo!

2006-03-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

This is a great big blogiversary thank you to Eric for starting Paris Daily Photo, exactly a year ago today! J'espère que tu aimes les gateaux, Eric et c'est parfait parce qu'ils viennent de notre petite boulangerie française!

This is the window of Jean Jacques Bakery here in Richmond, run by a friendly French ex-pat named Clement. Bonus points if you can identify the purpose of the boxes in the back corner of the window display!

Doughnut Delirium

2006-03-10T08:21:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had a fresh Krispy Kreme doughnut picked right off the belt? The smell is absolutely intoxicating. You walk in the building and all you can focus on is the stream of doughnuts chugging by. It's like everything else just fades away and the doughnuts call out "Me! Me! Pick me! I'm perfect and round and hot and light and sweet. Doughnuts don't weigh very much, we couldn't be that bad for you!"

My husband refers to this as the doughnut army... Although, I'm not sure if the doughnut soldiers are going out to put smiles on our faces, or if their mission is to ensure American obesity?

What's your weakness?

Going to the Chapel...

2006-03-09T08:38:00.000-05:00

Good friends of mine just got engaged so I thought I'd dedicate today's post to Lindsay and Shawn!

I have fond memories of working in the bridal industry (oh wait, that was Saturday) and I think it would be most appropriate if these ladies were positioned a little more like this...or maybe even this...

Regarless, this is a shot of the window of Bygones, a very cool antique clothing store in Carytown. The perfect place to find a bowler hat, kid gloves, stockings with seams running up the back, and all sort of other interesting things.

Cosmetic Cocktails

2006-03-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

This is a shot of the "Cosbar" in Soak! a bath boutique in Carytown. Apparently, they blend fragrances and cosmetics to your specifics. I thought the rows and rows of bottles were mesmerizing, how would you ever choose? And do you go in and order like at a bar? "Yeah, I'll have a shot of Vanilla Bean and Teatree on the rocks with splash of Lavendar Water. Shaken, not stirred."

In the bottom right there's a reflection from the bar across the street. Isn't it appropriate?

Do Not Disturb

2006-03-07T07:26:00.000-05:00

The shop that saved Carytown and heralded the Fan's renaissance, The Compleat Gourmet, is home to a few furry friends. As Gatsby and I were walking down the street last night, he made sure to disturb this one!

Up in Smoke

2006-03-06T08:55:00.000-05:00

Ahh, smokers, welcome to Virginia. The Phillip Morris plant stands like a beacon welcoming people on 95N to our fair city. And thanks to our good friends-smoking's cheap. You can still find packs at 2 for $5 on occasion.
And for those of you who are asking yourself is this really what's best for us, apparently our government thinks it's okay. They still refuse to ratify the International Tobacco Treaty (one that Philip Morris actually supports). You can hear more about it on NPR.

I am Iron Man

2006-03-05T08:26:00.000-05:00

Well there are things people should know about Richmond and the Civil War.

1. Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy.
2. A large part of Richmond burned in 1865 before its evacuation and subsequent Yankee capture--we blame the Yankees.
3. We actually did it ourselves.
4. Today, 141 years later--It isn't over.

So, what does this have to do with my picture? Well, there are very few buildings in Richmond that pre-date 1865. After the war, just as Scarlett O'Hare declared "I'll never go hungry again," Richmond declared they'd never burn again. That's why almost every building is brick. If it's not brick? It's stone. We even decided that our porches shouldn't burn and an iron work renaissance took off. Turns out we're second only to New Orleans!

Breakfast in Richmond

2006-03-04T09:50:00.000-05:00

I found this painting on the alley side of a local tattoo parlor. Does anyone else get the feeling that the artist was hungry?

You Should've Gone Before We Left the House!

2006-03-03T12:38:00.000-05:00

Hopefully none of you need to use the facilities, as now I'll be charging a $5 cover. I figure that if local bars can do it, why can't I? I am a little curious how they'd ring it up, maybe as an "Inconvenience Charge"? Or maybe they'd come up with a vaguely alcoholic shooter name-any suggestions?

Today, look carefully, you might catch a glimpse of your favorite Richmond blogger (or can I be a blogette?)

In God, Barber on Duty

2006-03-02T07:50:00.000-05:00

I took a second day away from work to continue "recovering" from LASIK and so my brother and I went downtown to take a few photos and grab some lunch. We just happened to catch this guy preparing for his day, setting up for another round of "holy haircuts".

Rabbit, Rabbit

2006-03-01T08:34:00.000-05:00

As it is the first of the month, I thought I'd make all of you little present. If you click on today's picture it comes up in 800x600, perfect for your desktop background. If you'd like the bigger 1024x768 size, click here, and here is the French version.

The Sacred Heart

2006-02-28T20:46:00.000-05:00

"Thank God men cannot as yet fly and lay waste the sky as well as the earth!"

-Henry David Thoreau

Lost and Found

2006-02-27T20:27:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the late post! I was walking in Monroe Park near VCU's Campus on Sunday and came across this very interesting arrangement.

Any ideas on the story?

Uptown Color

2006-02-26T13:08:00.000-05:00

I was inspired by the colorful posts in Karine's blog and decided to show off a little bit local color. This great detail work can be found above a door on the 1200 block of Main Street, which houses various small businesses and coffee shops.

I have to say that I thought that the lack of symmetry was particularly interesting. You can see the full photo here.

The Virginia Home

2006-02-25T10:05:00.000-05:00

This is a close up of the windows on The Virginia Home. I had never seen this building before and as I was walking around last weekend, I stumbled upon this great big building that reminded me a little bit of the movie The House on Haunted Hill.

I did a little bit of research and found out that it was originally located in Shockoe Bottom, founded in 1894, and known as "The Virginia Home for the Incurables." Isn't it funny how time and political correctness take over?

Something different...

2006-02-24T12:58:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Ham and his blog, I had a lot of fun photoshopping this photo. I took this picture Saturday when it was about 20 degrees and we had snow fluttering about. The colors really popped out to me, hope you enjoy (here's the original).

Shield's Lake

2006-02-23T08:44:00.000-05:00

This is a photo of Shield's Lake and the waterfall that connects to Swan Lake. These two lakes are actually resevoirs and I also found a picture of Shield's Lake from 1927. It's really interesting that there are people swimming in this lake since from what I could see it appears to be less than knee deep!

Can-Can, sans the high kicks

2006-02-22T23:43:00.000-05:00

This is "Can-Can", a relatively new restaurant here in Richmond that is designed to mimic the French brasseries. It's located in the Carytown Shopping Disctrict and it is packed all the time. In case you're interested, the do free wine tastings on Tuesday evenings.

I haven't eaten here, but my French friends tell me it has great atmosphere and mediocre bread!

Doric Dork

2006-02-21T10:56:00.000-05:00

This is a photo of about a block of front porches again in the Fan District. As you can see in the photo most of the columns are the very simple Tuscan style (Roman precursor to the Greek Doric), although some of the larger homes and the apartments buildings have the more elaborate styles (Ionic, Corinthian, etc).

From one house to the next in this neighborhood, you never know which style will greet you next, or what variation the capital will have to make it unique. And yet, despite the wide range of architecture and detail, when viewed from the street the columns provide a visual sense of unity, allowing the eye to appreciate the esthetic as a whole.

Most of the columns in Richmond are still the original wood (and in need of a coat of paint). Although you will see some homes in the process of renovation sometimes choosing the man-made alternatives.

Another interesting porch fact: many rowhouse porches are entirely connected (ie, one slab of concrete). I'll let you see Richmonders' unique solution later on in the week.

Richmond's Carillon

2006-02-20T12:20:00.000-05:00

Richmond features a beautiful 240 foot carillon in Dogwood Dell near Byrd Park. This is a through and through shot from the right hand side (here is a full-size picture of the Carillon). It was built as a tribute to WWI men and servicewomen comissioned by the Virginia General Assembly between 1924-1928.

The city and arts councils sponsor concerts there for military-related holidays (Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, etc) and they do still play the carillon. They also host Arts in the Park, a 4th of July celebration and weddings.

This carillon originally had 66 bells, but only played 53 notes (the extra bells were on the higher notes, intended to increase volume), but today after a 1970's renovation it now has 53 bells and plays 53 notes.

Columbus Monument

2006-02-19T19:02:00.000-05:00

This is the Columbus Statue at the south end of Boulevard near Byrd Park. It was the first Columbus statue erected in the South and the first lighted statue in Richmond. Sculpted by Ferruccio L. Legnaioli in 1927, it was commissioned by the Sons of Italy and Italians of Richmond. The entrance to Byrd Park is to the left and if you drive or walk around the back there is a great terrace-style fountain inset in the curved stone wall.

My little dogs particularly like seeing this statue because it means the dog park is right around the corner!

Welcome to the Richmond Daily Photo Blog!

2006-02-18T15:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Richmond, VA daily photo blog!

This is a typical apartment building located on the southern end of Boulevard in Richmond's Fan District. The Fan District composes more than 100 city blocks and is the largest surviving Victorian neighborhood in the United States. It was originally known as the "West End", but Richmond spread further to the west and developers continued to search for a more distinct and coherent name. Finally, Neville Johnson in the 1950s published a brochure entitled "The Fan--Town Houses for Gracious Living." (The name comes from the pentagon shape of Monroe Park and the streets that "fan" out from there.) Today, the joke exists that it is also the "Fan" district because many of the homes have not been updated with air conditioning.