The Things I've Seen in Richmond

When I was packing to drive to Richmond for a week, I was operating under the assumption that I would probably be doing the same things on a day-to-day basis as I do at home, with the notable exception of going to work.  There would be dogs to walk and entertain, but that wouldn't take up all my time.  I packed my PlayStation 3, thinking I'd watch Stargate while job-hunting online.  I even picked up a used copy of Assassin's Creed, a video game I'd been thinking of checking out.  I'd need a break from the Stargate and job stuff, I decided.  And then I got down there, and was seized with the urge to explore.

I've been to Richmond so many times that I forgot I'd never really seen Richmond.  Usually we're down for a family gathering or on the way to the beach in North Carolina.  But Richmond is a vibrant, interesting city and really there is so much to see!  I spent most of my time in Carytown, mainly because it's very close to my aunt's house, but I also consulted the Design Sponge Richmond city guide for ideas.  Here's a little not-so-little list of the things I saw and loved.

Culture


Maymont - Maymont, built in 1893, was the home of the Dooley family.  The house and its furnishings were left to the city of Richmond at their deaths, meaning it's in remarkably whole and immaculate condition for an historic house.  The furnishings are especially exciting, as some are pretty darn wacky (case in point).  Aside from the house, the estate also includes two gardens (the Japanese garden in particular is large and intoxicatingly beautiful), an impressive collection of historic carriages, and a small zoo.

Hollywood Cemetery - This is Richmond's big historic cemetery, and I have no idea whose idea the "Hollywood" was.  Home to the final resting spots of two US Presidents and Mr. Jefferson Davis of the CSA himself, there's a lot of historic significance in this graveyard.  However, I found it appealing for another reason entirely.  It's quiet.  It's beautiful.  It sits right over the river, and the trees keep it sheltered from the sun on hot days.  In short, it may be Richmond's most perfect park, if you don't mind sharing space with ghosts.  There are graveyard maps available for purchase for $1 just inside the gate, but I found if you follow the well-marked blue painted line through the cemetery, you can find all the really significant stuff from the road.  Be sure to check out the stone dog.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts - I've already written about the VMFA, so I'll keep it short: it's great.  It's a fantastic museum with an AMAZEBALLS decorative arts collection (primarily Art Nouveau and Art Deco), and the 20th and 21st Century art collections aren't too shabby, either.  Best of all, it's free!  They do charge for special exhibitions (there wasn't one this week), but based on my experience those are usually worth the price of admission.

Shop


Need Supply - It's no secret I love this place, it's a great little boutique representing the best of both local and national designers.  I walked away with just jewelry, more because of their dearth of larger sizes than anything else.  Their denim selection is amazing, but sadly they carry nothing above a size 30 (about a 10).  They do, however, have TOMs shoes in stock, if you've ever wanted to try them out.

Mongrel - This is about as close as Richmond gets to a place to buy souvenirs, though it's closer to a locally owned Paper Source than anything else.  Mongrel carries gifts and cards of all shapes and sizes, things you need and things you don't, and is super classy about it.  I think my mother put it best when she observed that she "could do a lot of damage to a Christmas stocking" in Mongrel.

World of Mirth - On the surface, World of Mirth is a toy store, but just walking through the door shatters that illusion.  Whoever does the buying for this place is a kitsch-loving nerd, and it is fantastically obvious.  From the cabinet of Day of the Dead skeleton goodies to the hipster fake tattoos, by the time you hit the wall of Doctor Who items near the back of the store, I can guarantee you'll have found something to make you smile.  And lest you think it's only fun for adults, I assure you there's plenty for kids to delight in, too.

Antiques in Manchester - AIM, as it's called, is a Saturday antiques market in the Manchester area of the city.  It takes place in a covered alley, so I imagine it operates rain or shine.  I went expecting to ooh and aah over things I could not afford and maybe pick up some art if I liked anything, but was surprised to find things well within my price range (and this from someone who pays full price--bartering terrifies me).  I walked away with furniture, but there were plenty of people selling jewelry, textiles, and assorted decorative elements, too.

Chop Suey Books - Another Carytown gem, this new/used bookstore has loads to offer, complete with the requisite uninterested bookstore cat.  They don't have much in the way of genre fiction (romance, mystery, sci-fi, etc.), but they do have a delightful offering of older pulp fiction paperbacks, and a fantastic poetry selection.  Non-fiction's not really my bag, but those sections looks formidable, as well.

Eat


New York Deli - Deli fare with a spin, this place serves food that's simply great.  They've been doing it longer than any other place in Richmond, so they should know their stuff.  I've never been in the evening, but the bar looks pretty solid, too.  Bonus: PHOTOBOOTH.

The Belvidere at Broad - My mom and I chose this place for our Mother's Day dinner, and were so proud of ourselves for venturing out away from Cary St.  I was impressed by their vegan and gluten-free selections, as well as their beer and bourbon lists.  Our one complaint was that our food was a bit too salty for our taste, but other than that it was delicious.  I had the vegetarian Nicoise Salad, which was a rare treat.

Amuse - This restaurant may be inside the VMFA, but don't let that fool you--this is no ordinary museum eatery.  With an impressive, ever-changing menu (they focus on what's in season locally, and take inspiration from whatever's currently showing at the museum), Amuse is a different restaurant every time you visit.  We sat outside overlooking the sculture garden and slurped cool spring onion vichyssoise--perfect for a warm spring afternoon.

Carytown Burgers and Fries - If you're someone who appreciates a finely crafted burger, then this place is a must for you.  A teeny space that feels as "hole-in-the-wall" as it gets, the food is worth and wait and the inevitable crowd.  I'm a non-vegetarian who happens to really love veggie burgers, so I was delighted to find not one, but three veggie options on the menu--Boca, veggie, and black bean.  I went with the veggie, and was well pleased.  I took my food to go, but there is also an outdoor area to sit and dine.

Can Can Brasserie - a perennial favourite, you can't hit Carytown without checking out Can Can.  A French eatery that actually feels Parisien, this place is a treat.  However traditional it may look, however, Can Can puts their own spin on classic French foods.  I dined here for lunch, but the brunch menu looked delicious, too (and from the brunch crowd we saw another day, I'd say it is)!

Conch Republic - Right on the James River, Conch Republic is a great place to spend a warm evening.  This place is all about the Florida Keys, with a menu chock-full of seafood and even some unexpected gator.  I had the spinach and strawberry salad, which was about as delicious as a salad has any right to be.

I highly recommend Richmond as a place to spend a day or weekend or week or month, there's so much to see and do.  I'd love to have done more, but basically I ran out of money (random observation: the Richmond HomeGoods was about the most impressive HomeGoods I've been in).  Honestly, if you can take only one thing away from this list, see the cemetery.  It may seem morbid, but it really is a lovely, lovely place to spend time.

And now back to my regularly scheduled life.

Richmond

I've been in Richmond since Thursday, occupying my aunt's lovely house while she's abroad.  You can't tell from the front, but this house is overflowing with art.  My aunt is my main art collecting idol, and being in her home is like being in candyland.  I love it.  I'm not alone, of course.

These dudes have been keeping me company.  I wish I had a better photo of Spencer (lower right), but he's distrustful of cameras.  I thought I'd be safe, as my little green box of an iphone in no way resembles a proper camera, but Spencer's no fool.  He knows the score.  Ergo, dark, under-a-tree photo.  Ah, well.  The rest of them are hams.  Here are a few other things I've been up to this week.

If you're ever in town, the photobooth is located in the New York Deli on Cary Street.  It's a proper black and white photochemical booth that the deli folks keep up themselves, and it's wonderful.  The food is great, too, so it's no hardship to spend an afternoon there.  The mask is a Yup'ik Smiling Face at the VMFA.  Their Pre-Columbian and Native American collections are small, but I'm a fan (clearly).

I've got a few more places on my list of things to check out, so expect more dispatches!  In the meantime, you can keep up with my Instagramming here, even if you don't have an iphone.  Not all of these are from Instagram (I'm a fan of TiltShift as a photo editor, too), but I'm sure I'll be posting photos one place or another.

The People I Saw, the Meals I Ate

I've mentioned here before that one of my very best besties, a lady named Laura, lives and works in New York City.  So, I try to find a weekend once a year or so to drag my carcass up to her and let myself be entertained by the city (not to say that I only see her once a year--her parents still live a half a mile from mine, after all).  This year, I bribed my boss with the promise of the tackiest souvenir I could find him and took the Friday before MLK Day (not to be confused with MILK Day) off to give myself lots and lots of New York time.  Laura requested a blog devoted to our experiences, so I am providing.  She gave up half her bed for the weekend, after all.

In the past, my New York weekends have been about seeing museums and finding photobooths (spending time with Laura goes without saying).  I still love museums and photobooths, but this visit was more about seeing awesome people and eating great things.

Friday: Spent most of it on the bus, in the seat with the broken outlet.  I watched an old animated Tintin movie I rented from iTunes, praying my laptop battery would hold.  I finished with 10 minutes to spare.  Once in the city, Laur and I sped off to Brooklyn to a book release party I was determined to attend (we're in the above photo, sort of behind that other dude).  
People Seen: A Ton, including Yuko, Anath, Conrad, and John.  
Meals Eaten: Carrot Ginger Soup at Alchemy (A)
Bodega Kitty: Yes

Saturday: the theme was walking and photobooths.  Mostly walking.  Searched for a mug, sadly in vain, then hogged the photobooth in the Ace Hotel for awhile.  Were madly impressed by the place.  Walked a million miles to linger over brunch with good friends, then walked a million more for pie and more photostrips.  Happily took the train to Union Square to peek into Books of Wonder, then took in a flick.

People Seen: Peter, Jordan, A Bunch of Kid's Publishing Folks, Simon Pegg

Meals Eaten: Croque Monsieur and Mimosa at Le Parisien  (A+), Michigan Sour Cherry Pie at Bubby's (A)

Photobooths: Two

Souvenir Mugs: :(

Sunday: the theme was books and scones.  Scooted down to Harlem for an early brunch with an awesome Twitter friend, visited with her pups, then accidentally got off at the wrong stop for the Met, so we walked across Central Park (a first for me).  Tried to see several special exhibitions at the Met, couldn't find all but two (lots of galleries were closed, cutting off our routes across the 2nd floor).  Hopped over to Alice's Tea Cup for a Mad Hatter Tea.  Ended the evening at the Strand.

People Seen: Pamela, Chip, Ringo (pups are people, too), somebody's suit-of-armor boyfriend

Meals Eaten: Blackberry Cherry Pancakes at Kitchenette (B+), Curried Chicken Salad & Cucumber Watercress sandwiches (C & A), Tomato-Basil, Mixed Berry, & Buttermilk scones (A+, B+, & A), Lemon Tart (A+), and Trafalgar Square Tea (A) at Alice's Tea Cup

Books: 18 Miles

Scones: So Many

Monday was spent on the bus, with a functioning outlet, watching Jane Eyre and eating leftover Alice's cookies.  Since then, I have apparently been attempting to recreate the weekend, mostly through scones.  My tomato-basil effort turned out weird, my buttermilk (using the Alice's recipe) are better.

All in all, a very successful weekend!  Thanks for the food, art, books, folks, and pretty little flurries, New York!

photobooth innards

Love this little video which shows development process inside of an old photochemical photobooth in real time. via the Photobooth Blog

photobooth proposal

Check out the adorable (and PERFECT) way that one of my fav photographers, Angela Kohler, was proposed to by her boyfriend and creative partner, Ithyle Griffith.  You can watch the progression as she figures out what's happening--I hope you're paying attention, future husband!

va photobooth hunting

My love of photobooths is no secret, but there's a pretty sad dearth of them in my area.  I wait until I can visit Laura in Brooklyn, and then I go nuts.  So to say I was excited by the most recent location updates on photobooth.net is a bit of an understatement.  Not one, but two booths in Virginia!  One is in Blacksburg, and the other is in Richmond.  I think it's safe to say that you can expect a visit, Aunt Anne!

gimme, day 2

a stay at the Ace Hotel

I know, I know.  It's a bit of a leap from a necklace to a hotel on the other side of the country, but are you actually going to get any of these for me, Internet?  That's what I thought.  So indulge me.

I've never been to Oregon, but it's at the top of my stateside must-see list (Machu Pichu tops its international counterpart, are you going to take me there, internet?).  I've kind of fallen in love with Portland from afar, and if I could see it up close?  Oh, the Ace Hotel, all the way.  There are the murals by various local artists, and that's pretty rad, but the clincher is totally the photobooth.  Actually, maybe I should change this to a stay in the Ace Hotel and a suitcase full of $1 bills.

lucy in paris

The wonderfully talented Lucy Knisley just returned from a trip to Paris with her beau, and since then has been uploading the pages of the journal she kept while she was there. Most of the journal entries are a series of panels from each day, which has me so impressed. When I travel, it's difficult enough mustering the energy to write about my day, much less actually draw it!

Some pages are actual sketches she made of the things she saw, plus--hey! Photobooth! I love just about anything Lucy does, and I am eagerly awaiting the rest of this journal!

if only

Earlier this week, when I was struggling to put together a paper about Siegfried Bing and desperately trying to think creatively (it felt like I was hitting my head against a wall, seriously), I turned to the internet. After doing every Washington Post crossword puzzle in the archives, plus those from the LA Times and the Palm Beach Post (of all things), I was still doing the head smackeroo. Joanna's gift guides started me thinking about what I would give my loved ones if I had all the money in the world. Well, not all the money. Just, you know, some. It did the trick! So off and on all week, I've been constructing these little guys. I'm rather proud of them, so I thought I'd share. First off, my ladies:

For the friend of 18 years standing, who wrote me notes with pictures on graph paper and goes to Paris when she has a long weekend: the Secret Joy Dress from Anthropologie (for that classy Twinkie look), Charlotte necklace from Luxe Deluxe (because working impossibly long hours doesn't mean you can't also be impossibly cute), and Miller Headband from A Farmer's Daughter (because if anyone can pull off a feathered headband it's this lady).

For the bestest girl hardheaded workaholic who bakes gourmet meals for herself and leaves messages on my machine for my dog: the Easton Shino bag from Kate Spade (to replace the old black bag she doesn't like), the Personal Library Kit from Fred Flare (to replace the old return address label method), and the Morning Glory Duvet in green from Anthropologie (because it matches her vintage painted bookshelf and the throw with the giant Schnauzer face on it seriously creeps me out).

For the first of the two ladies who've made grad school so far bearable, the Quaker girl with the miniature obsession: a subscription to the Handspun Yarn of the Month Club from Simply Twisted Yarn (on the off chance that this would ensure we didn't lose her at the first yarn booth on our next craft show trek), the Providence bracelet from Heartworks by Lori (the colors are pure J), and the Vitra miniature of Alvar Aalto's iconic chair from DWR (because it is small and J loves small and its design is compelling).

For my other grad school gal, who makes phenomenal cookies and wears such awesome tights that strangers comment on them in the Metro: Pyrex mixing bowl set from Five Petals Red (because after vintage tupperware, they're the next best thing), the Electra Ladies' Cruiser in pink (because the DC welcoming comittee stole her bike and she loves pink), and Bacon bandages from Fred Flare (I've never met someone who loved bacon as much as G does, and it was the bandaids or floss--which someone else actually gave her this week).

Now for a couple boys:

The college buddy who is incapable of thinking before he speaks, yet is maybe the most thoughtful person I know: Nintendo mints from Fred Flare (because he once stole a roll of Nintendo stickers out a promotional vehicle in order to plaster them all over campus), Capone the American Bulldog mix who's up for adoption now, the Black and Blue watch from Skagen Denmark (it's hip and professional and so is this dude).

The "little" brother who never comments on this blog despite the fact that he was one of the first to subscribe to it and when I mention in conversation something I've already blogged about, criticizes me for repeating myself: the Flip Ultra camcorder (film was one of the possibilities before he settled on his major), art classes in a great local program as well as some supplies (he's forever been a doodler but has never pursued it), and the Shun Ken Essential 3-piece knife set from Williams-Sonoma (what can I say, the boy likes to cook).

Finally, my lovely parents:

My mom, the retired preschool teacher who gets on the floor with children in doctor's waiting rooms, drives me to the Metro daily to save me paying to park, and who is and always has been the best role model a girl could have: a Gurglepot from Delight.com (colorful, Asian, and makes noise--perfect), Akoya black pearl earrings from Sunshine Pearls (to match the gorgeous necklace she bought in Hong Kong), and a Naturemill Plus (because she's all about recycling, composting, and gardening).

Lastly my dad, a transplanted Tennesseean engineer who loves aircraft of all kinds, can rattle off the names of every major WWII battle at the drop of a hat, and takes more joy in mowing the lawn than any sane person should: a D-Day tour of Europe from Matterhorn Travel (he's talked about doing this forever), a Club Taku membership (for regular shipments of fresh Alaskan salmon), and a Jungle Feast camp shirt from Tommy Bahama (he's a total TH fanboy).

And, for the heck of it, here's my if-I-had-money vignette: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego (still my favourite game after all these years), a lifetime supply of polaroid 600 film (my stash is gone and I'm panicking), a Lugano leather suitcase from J. Crew (although since I can't afford to travel, I'd probably just look longingly at it as I saw the world via Carmen Sandiego), and Art Deco Mary-Janes from Anthropologie (because there is nothing about these shoes--in either color--which does not entrall me). I'll admit I was tempted to throw a photobooth of my very own in there too, but this is only fun if there are some boundaries, I think.

Et voila! This was an unbelievably fun exercise and really helped me out in my paper-writing hour of need. I really wish I could buy all of these things for all of the wonderful people in my life. Giving is by far my favourite part of Christmas, and I hope that shopping isn't so stressful for folks that they forget how wonderful the feeling of finding that perfect gift is. Merry merry, y'all!

all for believing

So I saw one of my favs, Australian singer Missy Higgins in concert last night (she opened for Ben Folds). She played both of my favourite of her songs, "Steer" and "Peachy," both from her latest album. If you've never heard her stuff, check them out!




Oh! And there's even video inside of a photobooth!



Aside from getting to meet her (!!!), I also walked away with this pretty little t-shirt. I wasn't going to buy it, but then I noticed the whale and caved. Now I just wish I knew who the artist was!

Amélie, je t'aime

After seeing Amélie for the first time last night, I find it very difficult to believe that I actually managed to go for 7 years in ignorance of this film. It all began when Peter put on Yann Tiersen's gorgeous soundtrack on our way home from tubing.Aside from adoring the film on the whole, there's the added benefit of the photobooth as a major plot device! I also just loved the colors, set design, and overall nostalgic feel of it. Love Amélie's red bedroom with art by Michael Sowa.If you've yet to see this film, do not delay! And be sure to check out Yann Tiersen's music. The man is a worker of magic.

heaven

I wanted to cry, originally uploaded by girlhula.

Do you know how many lizards I would give to be in Portland right this very minute? DO YOU?

So very, very many lizards.

(via the official blog of photobooth love, hula seventy)

mm, mm, Memphis

I haven't seen this in person, but just knowing that such a little corner exists here just makes me love Memphis a little more.

I am one-half Tennessean by birth. My father came to Virginia for school 40-something years ago, but he hails from this lovely city and the rest of the family still live here (or nearby). I haven't been here in 4 years, and am excited to think that I'll be viewing a place I already love with newer, older eyes.

And just about anything would be better than Gatlinburg, photobooth or no.
Photos by amiev, and my clever new name.

piece of the week

I decided a little while back that I wanted to do some sort of weekly posting. Keep up a theme. As much as I would love (love, love, love) to join in the Photobooth Friday action, it's been made abundantly clear that no photobooth can survive in my area unbroken. So I brainstormed, and decided that I'd do a decorative art piece of the week, as that's my field. I picked Wednesdays because when I was eight they were my favourite day of the week (although that was related to the ham-cheese-croissant sandwiches the school cafeteria sold then), and because they always make me think of an extremely awesome song. And so it begins.

Animal-Shaped Lamp, Snail from Anthropologie. I am seriously in love with this lamp. I've never had very strong opinions about lamps, my requirements are generally (1)How much room will it take up, and (2) Can I read by it. But in recent years I have developed a strange love of snails, and this lamp just speaks to me. In snail.

The Elusive Photobooth

For as long as I can remember, I have loved photobooths. You know, the ugly boxes which used the haunt Woolworth's stores 20 years ago? I only had limited exposure to the one at our local Woolworth's before it closed, but a movie theatre nearby had one, and man did I love it. I mean, it was in the most obnoxious cinema in town, but I'd go there just for the photobooth. Sadly, even that one is gone now.

What is it about photobooths, anyway? A few years ago, my lovely friend Autumn and I stumbled across an awesome old black and white booth in Myrtle Beach and made jubilant use of it (see left), and since then, I have sorely missed the lack of these contraptions in my life. Happily, one day I found Photobooth.net.

Photobooth.net has, among other things, a pretty comprehensive list of all of the photobooths in the continental US (although is doesn't have the Myrtle Beach booth, not that I can remember where it was anymore, anyway) and elsewhere. Want to hunt one out? Check the list! They also have pages for photobooth-related art, photobooths in movies, music, on television, etc. The creators of the site, Tim and Brian, refer to the photobooth as a "vanishing American icon," and it is that, but I also see it as more.

Think about it: you put in a coin (or several dollars--times do change), hit the button, and then have seconds during which four flashes capture you and whoever else is crammed into the booth with you in an unchangeable series of photos. If that's not an instant piece of art, then I don't know what is. I recommend finding a booth, grabbing a friend, and hopping in. Don't plan it, just go. If you don't walk away laughing, with a memorable piece of art in tow, then I will be very, very surprised.