belle march 2010

belleMARCH 2010

Life Lived Over

Past-LifeRegression

Therapy

My dOgA Love Story

CreatiOn StOrieSThe Fresh Talent ofRichmond Women

virtuaL deSignChampe Granger’sQuick-Change Artists

Spring aheadFashion Trends

here She iSMiss America,VCU Student Caressa Cameron

| � | MARCH 2010 ● belle

The eyes are one of the rst areas of the face to show age, but fortunately you can turn back the clock. Dr. Joe Niamtu specializes in cosmetic facial surgery including eyelid surgery, brow lifts and laser peels that reduce the signs of aging around the eyes.

He uses the latest laser and radiowave procedures which mean less swelling, bruising, and discomfort with faster recovery. Call Dr. Niamtu at 934-FACE (3223) for a free consultation.

Take years off your Eyeblink of an

face in the

BEFORE

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Actual patient of Dr. Niamtu

804-934-FACE (3223)lovethatface.com

Don’t miss the Lips, Lashes & Lines Event!

Saturday, March 20th10 a.m.

Dr. Niamtu’s Surgery Center

Finally, a chance to get BOTOX©, ller and FREE cosmetic consultations without missing work!

Latisse special: Good 3/20/10 only. Reg. $100/each.

Buy one Latisse©,get the 2nd one free.Attendance is limited.

RSVP to [email protected]. Visit lovethatface.com for more details.

5803 Patterson Ave | 804.285.4247Salon, Spa & Boutique

Hair, Make-up, Clothing, and Jewelry by London Hair Design

belle ● March 2010 | � |

8STYLE & SUBSTANCE 5Sounds like a pitcher … Haiti relief T-shirts … An outing involving sandwiches, architecture and accents … Just browsing with Art 180’s Marlene Paul … Very-Richmond playing cards. by Katherine Houstoun

PErSoNALiTiES 8CrEATivE CLASS: Up and comers in art, fashion, beauty, music and flowers tell what’s giving them momen-tum. Belle catches up with Norah Caldwell, Irena Stanisic, Caressa Cameron, Kristi Knight and Dana Cooper, Amie Cunningham and Fuzzy Baby. by Deveron Timberlake and Hilary Langford 8

MARCH 2010

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belleLook better. Feel better. Live better.

Belle is published monthly and is free. One copy per person. Belle may be distributed by authorized distributors only. Style Weekly subscriptions are available for $49 (third class mail) and $99 (first class mail). Style Weekly, 1313 E. Main St., Suite 103, richmond, Va. 23219, (804) 358-0825; General fax (804) 358-1079; News fax (804) 355-9089; classified phone (804) 358-2100; classified fax (804) 358-2163.

www.styleweekly.com E-mail: [email protected]

copyright © by Style Weekly Inc. TM 2010 all rights reserved.

PUBLiShEr: Lori Collier [email protected]

EdiTor iN ChiEf: Jason Roop [email protected]

EdiTor: Deveron Timberlake

ArT dirECTor: Jeffrey Bland

PhoTogrAPhY EdiTor: Scott ElmquistfAShioN EdiTor: Lauren Healy

CoNTriBUTiNg WriTErS: Catherine Baab,

Tess Autrey Bosher, Valley Haggard,

Katherine Houstoun, Hilary Langford, Jennifer Lemons, Betty Joyce Nash,

Melissa Scott Sinclair, Holly Timberline

dEPUTY MANAgiNg EdiTor: Ed Harrington

SALES ANd diSTriBUTioN MANAgEr: Dana Elmquist

MArkETiNg, SPoNSorShiPS &

EvENTS: Tonie Stevens

SENior ACCoUNT ExECUTivES:

Toni McCracken, Hannah Huber

BEllE ACCoUNTS MANAgEr:

Alice Gordon

ACCoUNT ExECUTivES:

Shanon Cornelius, Christina Cuevas, Kelly Slayden

SALES ASSiSTANT:

Jennifer Waldbauer

CrEATivE AdvErTiSiNg dirECTor: Jason Sullivan

AdvErTiSiNg grAPhiC ArTiSTS: Kira Jenkins, Chris Mason

AdMiNiSTrATioN/BUSiNESS MANAgEr: Chris Kwiatkowski

BUSiNESS AdMiNiSTrATioN ASSiSTANT: Sarah Soble Coyne

AdMiNiSTrATivE SUPPorT TEAM: Martha Anderson, John Massey

BodY & SoUL 23AdviCE: Modern day advice for a world’s worth of problems. 2�ALTErNATivES: Can past lives inform the present? by Valley Haggard 25

ArTS & ENTErTAiNMENT 26AgENdA: What to read, listen to and do in March, all worthy. by Cat Baab, Hilary Langford and Deveron Timberlake

fAShioN CUES 21dETAiLS: Accessorize with a little neon as you wait for spring. by Lauren Healy 21STATEMENT: Writer Melissa Barragan’s one de-gree of separation from Britney. by Cat Baab 22

grEAT TASTE 27AT hoME: Entrepreneur Champe Granger helps America learn how to decorate on a dime. by Deveron Timberlake 27

firST PErSoN 30Woman’s best friend comes with a fur coat. by Cat Baab �0

5

oN ThE CovEr:Miss america 2010, caressa cameron, is a broadcast jour-nalism major at Virginia common-wealth University. See page 13 for her chat with Belle. Photo courtesy of the Miss America Organization.

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| � | MARCH 2010 ● belle

J a m e s F . R o b i n s o n , M . D .

r e n e w d e r m . c o m

Introducing 30 minutes that could change your skin for life.

1603 Santa Rosa Road I Suite 203 I Richmond, VA 23229 P 804·440·DERM(3376)

Fraxel® lasers • Thermage® • BOTOX® Cosmetic • Juvéderm® • Microdermabrasion

Dysport® • Restylane® • Chemical Peels • Medical Facials • Acne • Sun Damage

Fine Lines & Wrinkles • Broken Blood Vessels • Spider Veins • Tattoo Removal • Hair Removal


StylE&SubStancEHot products, new ventures and local discoveries. by KatHerine Houstoun

these durable stoneware pitchers

enchant, and not solely through their whimsical shape and effervescent colors. designed by a husband and wife team in washington state, Gurglepots do, in fact, gurgle when poured, adding a smile-inducing sound effect to spring-time get-togethers. when not serving iced tea or lemonade, they can be filled with spring flowers to undeniably charming effect. $19-$40, open-house at shops at 5807.

oyJGusHinG

witH

FasHion FeelGood

Saks Fifth avenue will sell $25 Fashion for haiti T-shirts to support a nation wide, fashion indus-try led effort to raise monies for the victims of the devastating earthquake in haiti. The shirts, available in all Saks stores and on saks.com, are a wearable reminder of the need to continue to support haiti. Saks will donate $15 from the sale of each shirt to the clinton-Bush haiti Fund.

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| � | March 2010 ● belle

st yle & substance st yle & substance Just Browsing:

Top stops in cyberspace

1. gimundo.comGimundo is a web site

and daily e-newsletter dedicated to the belief that everybody needs a little good news to bright-en up their lives each day. the site is managed

by a couple whose mission is to deliver in-spiring news, stories, and videos — with no political agenda. while there are plenty of cute animal videos (i’m a sucker for mon-key antics), there are also alternative music videos, beautiful art films and animation and sweet clips that just make you feel bet-ter about humanity.

3. kindnessgirl.comrichmonder patience salgado is the

goddess of guerrilla goodness, practic-ing anonymous giving with her [husband, Jorge, and] four young children. they do cool things like load up gumball machines with quarters, leave sunflowers on random

doorsteps, and give cards that say “we’re lucky to have you” with lottery tickets to garbage truck driv-ers, school janitors and the like. patience is my idol (and now we’re friends on Facebook!).

2. kickstarter.comKickstarter is a fund-

ing platform for artists, designers, filmmakers, musicians and inventors that lets you donate a little or a lot toward their creative projects. Money is collected only if they reach their funding goal in the allotted time, and there are clev-er premiums for giving at different levels. it’s easy to be an art patron with this site, or just to check out all the creative projects.

Marlene Paul of art180as co-founder of art 180, a nonprofit that

offers creative programs for underprivi-leged youth, Marlene paul has been helping young richmonders transform their view of the world through art for more than 10 years. a richmond native and James Madison university graduate, she’s planning for the big show, art 180’s annual event celebrating its participants’ achievements in film, music, dance, writing, visual art and cooking. it’s May 26. Find out more at art180.org. Here are some of her online favorites:

OuTing:Garnett’s + Strawberry Fields + Virginia architecture

Ambience: you’ll take a welcome step back into time at Garnett’s cozy retro café. Jars of pickles stock the shelf above the Formica-topped bar; traditional ivory bead board lines the lower half of the butter-yellow walls; and vintage prints, plates and baskets provide a slightly folksy vibe. light from the two large front windows floods the eatery with a homey, welcoming ambience — perfectly matched to the nostalgic menu.

FAre: comfort food all the way. Kendra Feather, the architect behind vegetarian destination ipanema café near virginia commonwealth university, opts for cuisine that fills the belly and satisfies the soul. sandwiches take center stage here — the German-style ham sandwich with black Forest ham, cheddar cheese, apple butter and dijon mustard is a favorite — but salads, like the cobb containing generous por-tions of avocado and bacon, don’t skimp on creativity or ingredients. do your best to squeeze in a home-baked dessert, like the hummingbird cake or chocolate pecan pie. in a word: yum.

OccAsiOn: Morning coffee cake at the small bar; casual ladies lunch or family weekend hangout. it’s a good fit for any of those times you’re looking for hearty food with friendly service and no fuss.

mAke A dAy OF it: walk off that cold meatloaf sandwich with a trip to the recently renovated strawberry Fields Flowers & Gifts, located three blocks away at 423 straw-berry st. stock up on gifts, cards and jewelry from local artisans. then, continue three more blocks to the virginia center for architecture (2501 Monument ave.), where you can take in “Glass ceilings: Highlights from the international archive of women in architecture,” an exhibition exploring the contributions of women to architecture and design, opening March 4. don’t miss the permanent exhibition that sheds light on the 27,000-square-foot tudor revival mansion that houses the museum.

GArnett’s cAFé2001 park avenue367-7909garnettscafe.comtuesday-sunday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.Friday and satur-day, 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays for coffee, 7-11 a.m.

Five-card draw takes on a whole new meaning with Quirk Gallery’s No. 52rVa playing cards, which feature 52 things richmonders love about their city, as revealed via Twitter. Whether you’re dealt cards featuring the children’s Museum, First Fridays art Walk or Millie’s Diner, you’ll always wind up with an excellent hand — and ideas for a post-game outing. $9.95, Quirk Gallery or shop quirkgallery.com.

town cards

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st yle & substance f r o m t h e e x p e r t s

There’s a lot to love about Cary-town’s Roan boutique, the new incarnation of upscale fashion hot spot Coplon’s, including the urban layout, green design and sumptu-ous dressing rooms. But there’s one aspect that even shopping-averse men will love: the bar. Waiting for you to try on a dozen gray V-neck T-shirts becomes significantly less vexing when there’s a big screen and Budweiser to distract him.

Of course, the main attraction is the fashion, which now includes a wall of shoes and new collections from such rising stars as Alexander Wang, Thakoon and Jason Wu. Owner Hank Greenberg offers his top seven picks for spring. Visit roanshop.com.

Fashion Forecast

Robert Rodriguez rhinestone cluster top, $288. Stella McCartney cropped pant, $840

Soft on top, Skinny on the bottoM

Military chicLanvin military jacket, $1,490

bold popS of yellow and MagentaYellow Thakoon dress $1,090

boyfriend pantS, cropped or rolled up

VeStS oVer tankS — you can’t haVe too Many SleeVe-leSS layerS

Mixed Media acceSSorieS — metal, stones, enamel, organic and vintage combinationsLanvin macrame multicolored sandal, $1,100

ShoeS with SpikeS, cryStalS and other rock ’n’ roll detailSLouboutin wedge heels, $825

| � | March 2010 ● belle

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Richmond women design careers from their passions.

Norah caldwell’s design sensibility mixes materials and silhouettes for a look she calls primitive glamour.


crEativE classNorah CaldwellFashion designer

Cowgirl Electra

by DeveroN Timberlake

if there’s a way to describe designer Norah Caldwell’s work, she figures that it’s primitive glamour. or wearable costumes. “you might need a little personality to carry them,” she acknowledges of her sometimes out-there fashions. To her, bigger is better, sparkly is good and leather is a favorite ma-terial — even though she’s vegan.

Contrast is key in the fused metals she crafts into jewelry or the corduroy and linen that come together in garments. Caldwell doesn’t limit herself to one genre, but moves among designs for accessories such as wal-lets and bags, big chunky necklaces, shrugs and outerwear, and dresses of stretch satin among other highly tactile fabrics. Then there are high-neck shirts, Tweedledum and Tweedledee outfits of leather and linen, and reclaimed bits of old jewelry that are newly combined with dramatic inventiveness, all one-of-a-kind.

Caldwell graduated from virginia Com-monwealth University in 2008 with a de-gree in biology and chemistry, but studied art in an advanced metalsmith course that convinced her she couldn’t escape her ar-tistic inclinations. She’s received a strong response to her design work. “i have the intensity that wants results,” she says. “The work doesn’t exhaust me, it’s more like play. i’ve definitely been a creative spirit forever. i am always inspired by new materials, and when i see something i like i will find a way to incorporate it into my work.”

She was recruited to participate in the vCU fashion show Strut this month, and also is showing accessories this month at metro Gallery. Her work has been featured at Quirk Gallery, farmers’ markets and col-laborative shows, and is available on the handcraft Web site etsy.com. While she loves the sciences and excelled in them aca-demically, and recently worked in a molecu-lar biology lab, “i couldn’t get too far away from something that i love to do,” she says. “i’m just going along, making.”

| 10 | March 2010 ● belle

Irena StanisicWeinstein scholar, Virginia MuseuM of fine arts felloWship Winner

University of Richmond junior

Belle: What should people understand about your Macedonian background, and how does it affect your view of the world and of your art?

StaniSic: Traveling around the world all my life definitely caused me to feel like a chameleon, having to change my skin to adapt to my surroundings. I have had to change home a few times, and so I never truly feel that I belong to any one culture. I do not feel fully Macedonian, and I do not feel fully American, and going back and forth between these locations has made me understand that identity is fluid, that I will never be able to strictly outline my identity as one thing.

My art is how I cope with these issues as a cultural chameleon, and I tend to hide under my creations, as if they were masks. I feel that art for me is the way I try to understand who I am, and it is laden with intimate emotions. I keep searching under the details and colors of my pieces, hop-ing who I am will be reflected to me, but I have so much to learn about myself and so much potential to change from my new environments to come, that I am no longer in a rush to figure it all out.

What are the challenges of choosing art as a way of life? And the rewards?

I have always been a multi-faceted person interested in many different subjects in school. But my whole life, art has been the one thing that truly made me happy, that felt the most natural and the easi-est to do. But choosing to be an artist in this day and age is a big commitment and risk. There is no definite security or proper journey to take. It all depends on luck, chance, talent and ambition.

At University of Richmond I am able to study other things like cultures and lan-guages and do art, and so I wasn’t forced to leave academics behind and devote my entire education to just one thing. Many people don’t understand how much emotional and physical work goes into creating art, how time-consuming it can be and at times even arduous — you are pouring your heart out with every mark you make. But I could not imagine doing anything else in life. The big-gest rewards come from completing a work, and

actually feeling good about it, feeling like you really created something that other people will want to examine to under-stand. It feels wonderful to see other people awed by what your hand created, and even better when they never even knew you were an artist in the first place. I can definitely say that I have lost hope many times, but after getting the VMFA fellowship I realize that

hey, maybe I do have a chance. I just have to keep working.

How are your faculty members helping you to grow as an artist?

I can’t count the number of times I have had to run to an art professor to talk about identity is-sues and how one fits in and relates to the world, about disillusionment, about the hardships I face in creating work. Always I leave these con-versations feeling more comfortable and a little relieved, as if some of the deep emotional weight one can drown in has been released. Not only do

you hear their own problems and issues they feel as an artist, but you come to learn the amazing experiences they had and you realize, well, wow — that is why they are so cool. I confide in my art professors more than anyone, more than my peers even. They understand what I am going through as an artist and as a person.

What is your dream scenario for your future as an artist?

My dream scenario is to become a success-ful professional artist selling my pieces for a lot of money and showing in the top contemporary galleries around the world, and to one day have my art in the greatest of the art museums. I can only hope that people will come to discover my art, to find out about me as an artist and to en-joy my work, to want to stand in front of it for hours as it sparks discussions and questions. I hope to be able to work in my own apartment somewhere in Spain, and maybe one day own my own printing company or even just collaborate with other artists. I cannot really imagine what being a big name in the art world would be like, so for now I can only hope that I will make it some-how. — D.t.

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irena stanisic painted Majka icona as a tribute to her mother.

belle ● March 2010 | 11 |

Molly Berg and Guistino RiccioBandmates

Fuzzy Baby

By HilaRy lanGfoRd

What wears many hats, plays wine glasses and tubas, and can whip up a grasshopper pie? That would be fuzzy Baby. named after a late, beloved feline, the duo of Giustino Riccio and Molly Berg is an ever-evolving creative juggernaut that turns out quirky youTube shorts and odes to everything from each other to al dente pasta.

it started when Berg began doing some sound work for Giustino’s band, Bio Ritmo. “She always made me sound better than i actually did, so i thought there was some interest since she paid so much attention to my sound,” Riccio recalls. “i al-ways gave him a little extra reverb,” Berg jokes.

a few months ago, the couple engaged in a little friendly competition and fuzzy Baby began to

personalities f e a t u r e

take shape. “We just wanted to outdo each other with how sappy our love songs could be,” Riccio says. “When we started comparing songs and notes, we actually started collaborating. When one of us reaches an impasse, the other seems to have that creative idea to move it along. We just work really well together.”

“you’ve got your love songs and your love-of-food songs,” Riccio says. “and of course, your love-of-cats songs,” he adds, ensuring that the spirit of their namesake be remembered among influences. “and then there’s our friend Bob. We wanted to upset him, so we came up with a song called “Chimpanbob.” Riccio says it’s become its own character complete with a claymation video that Berg crafted.

Recently Berg also began recording some fuzzy Baby songs at home and put together a series of stop-animation bits for the sweet and strummy “Sigh” that’s getting buzz online. aptly set, the video finds the foodies in their kitch-en. “it’s us sitting at the table through-out the day, lip-synching our song with a bunch of different outfits on,” Berg says, laughing. Riccio, however,

reveals his true intentions: “i just wanted another excuse to show off all my clothes.”

onstage, the duo is gorgeously outfitted in thrift store finds that complement their throw-back to vaudeville. When they’re not plucking out nylon-stringed ditties or banging savory beats, the two sling quips. “We really try to put on a whole performance, not just play music,” Berg says. Given their robust talent, these guys don’t stick to a particular shtick. “We’re chang-ing our sound a little bit. in a way, we want to be louder,” Berg says. “We don’t want to be pigeon-holed as a folk band. We’ve actually gone a little electric.”

They recently added some serious guitars to their arsenal. “i got a baritone guitar, which is the type used in surf music and spaghetti westerns,” Berg says, “and Justin [Riccio] just got a hollow-body electric for a more vintage sound.”

in Riccio’s eyes, the transition is almost neces-sary because the band typically plays to packed rooms full of folks who have had a few too many cocktails. “Rather than whine about it,” he says, “we’re gonna turn up the wattage a little bit!”

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Fuzzy Baby is a YouTube attraction with its stop-action video for “Sigh” — a visual celebration of food and wardrobe.


with local growers including Belona Botanical and Amy’s Garden. “A lot of brides these days really like organic roses,” Knight says, and many clients are concerned about healthy environmental prac-tices as they plan green weddings and events.

The Flower Girls create window boxes, planters, wreaths and bouquets, and fill statement-making vessels with unexpected combinations of foliage and flowers. They’re known for the sophisticated interplay of forms and colors and spend hours looking for and learning about new materials and ways to display them.

“They really listen,” says a recent bridal client, Liz King, who praises the pair for personalizing her planning experience with a perceptive focus on her taste and desires. “With each client we look at what their vision is, what colors, what kind of event, casual and rustic, modern, elegant,” Knight says. “We think about what’s going to be avail-able, and that’s the most fun part of the business.” To stay current, the partners devour art books and magazines, follow international florists’ blogs and watch industry trends but refrain from slavishly copying them. The point is to orchestrate expres-sions of nature that are beautiful but also surpris-ing, even to the women who make them. — D.T.

Dana Cooper and Kristi KnightFloral designers and business partners

flowergirlsinc.com

Dana Cooper’s first flower arrangements were memorable, but for the wrong reasons. She was 8 years old and new to Kentucky when she picked armloads of flowers from her neighbor’s garden and filled every vase she could find to decorate her bedroom.

“Eventually my mother came in and I got in a whole lot of trouble,” she recalls. “I had to take all the flowers back to my neighbor and apologize in person.” Somehow that episode didn’t diminish

her love for flowers. Eighteen years later she be-came manager of a specialty store’s floral depart-ment and now is a partner in Flower Girls, a “flo-rist with a gardener’s touch” based in the North Side.

Kristi Knight came to the same business — which was founded by Joie Patterson Crary, who has since moved away — armed with metropolitan experience. Knight worked for upscale florists in Philadelphia and New York, at first making de-liveries but eventually helping construct lavish displays and container gardens while learning from skillful designers. Her education and ear-lier career in financial services gave her num-ber-crunching ability for the back end of the op-eration, which she acknowledges is a continuing on-the-job lesson. “It is a delicate balance between the creative and business sides,” Knight says. “We want to be forward-thinking and sustainable, to run a really tight ship, and we can get very busy — it all happens at once.”

Together, the Flower Girls focus on weddings, parties and events, with a few select corporate ac-counts such as weekly floral installations for Can Can Brasserie in Carytown. The partners have no retail space, which keeps overhead and wasted products significantly lower than for traditional storefront florists. “We want to focus on finding the best, most earth-friendly materials that are close to home,” Knight says of their relationships

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Flowers at can can Brasserie are the work of Dana cooper and Kristi Knight, who also create wedding bouquets and floral decora-tions for parties and events.

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Caressa CameronMiss aMerica 2010

Virginia Commonwealth University broadcast journalism major

Whether her felloW students kneW she Was a pageant girl: They didn’t know I want-ed to be Miss America. I wanted to focus on my schoolwork when I was at school, so I kept it un-der wraps, and I’m sure there were people in my classes who would say, “That girl was not Miss America, no way.” I was always in my sweatpants like everybody else.

recollections of the campus to Which she’ll return next year: My most fond memory of VCU would definitely be the commons area where you’d get to see everybody and have coffee and a muffin and mingle with the other students — that’s the pulse of everything that was happening at VCU.

What she’s learned from being intervieWed in national media: I’ve been on “Regis and Kelly,” “Fox and Friends,” Rush Limbaugh, Wendy Wil-liams, phone interviews, “Inside Edition.” When you’re in the hot seat, people want to ask you the hard questions. Being on the other end will make me more cautious about how people will feel, and how to make them comfortable in the interview setting. That will better prepare me [for her goal to be a television news anchor].

Why, after four tries, she encourages oth-ers to persevere: What’s important is for girls to realize they entered this for some reason. Some want to make a difference, some want self-improvement, to be involved in the scholarship program. Every judge’s opinion is different, so it’s important for you not to change who you are, what got you involved in the program. I never went home and said I lost — I just had another oppor-tunity to make it.

on having to look the part of miss america at all times: It’s not as stressful as it could be, and partially that’s because I’ve been doing this for so long I have the timing down and can do hair and make-up in an hour. That’s a feat, but I have experience and tricks I’ve learned along the way. But there are some days when you get up and say, “Oh man,” ... and on those days you remember the 14,000 girls who tried to be you, who want the ex-act same job you have now, and you think of all those you work for and are serving. getting people to listen to and not just look at her: When people want to have a con-versation, that’s the biggest thing, opening up the dialogue, and once you do that, they get a deeper grasp of who I am and a deeper grasp of what this organization does, of women who’ve ac-cepted the challenge to be excellent. Then they get excited because they know it’s not just what they see on Saturday night, it’s an entire year or more of people in this world trying to make a dif-ference. Miss America should be a leadership icon. It’s cool to make healthy choices and respect myself. I hope to be a catalyst for social change

in my generation. We focus too much on instant gratification and I hope to let people know that you should set goals.

What the judges saW in her this time around: I’ve always thought I was pretty good talking to people, and a lot of people would say I’m a little more unconventional, able to do the things some people are scared to say or do. That’s one of the things that is necessary, for us to be tangible, that

you can come from a background that’s not perfect. We are regular American girls, and that’s what I try to get across, that I’m open and relatable.

With a 20,000-mile itinerary, hoW to keep it in the here and noW: The advice I took from Ka-tie Stam [Miss America 2009] is to truly live in it. If you focus too far ahead, you miss the moment. Your jewels are in the journey. — interviewed by Deveron Timberlake

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Amie Cunninghamartist, designer, professor

thiefandbandit.com

Belle: Why do you call your design business Thief and Bandit?cunningham: I use a lot of imagery from history — draw-ings and patterns — but I don’t take it verbatim. I guess I feel a little bit like a thief. I love patterns from all sorts of areas of the world — Egyptian, aboriginal, native reserva-tions in Canada, those are inspiring to me. I grew up Catho-lic so religious imagery is important to me.

Your work includes drawing, painting, sculpture, fashion. How does it all fit together?

I live for drawing, and when I was a kid, the very first job I wanted was to be a fashion designer, but what ends up hap-pening, in high school I almost failed a sewing class. So I let that dream fall by the wayside and focused on my art: draw-ing and painting. It wasn’t until recently that I started mak-ing some designs for T-shirts, and people really liked it. I taught myself how to screen print and I realized how much I loved it and that’s where Thief and Bandit started. Then I had leftover shirts from misprints and I experimented with cutting up the shirts and braiding them and making jew-elry. It’s all happenstance.

Some of your designs — like the poncho T-shirt — have a spiritual aspect. Is that intentional?

It does bother me if people see this like a tongue-in-cheek thing, and I don’t want it to come across that way. It’s more a tribute to other cultures, feeling special in having this inherent spirituality. A lot of the times, with my work, I’m not even thinking about what it means. I just do it and figure it out later.

How has the business side emerged?My husband and I both work in the business and both

teach at VCU. This is becoming a feasible business that is still in the realm of art. It is handmade, it is in print edi-tions. It’s not like I’m going and getting stuff manufactured in China, and I think that’s why people are interested in it. It’s unique and special, and people are looking for that kind of item, and for sustainable living. It all rolls together.

What is it about Richmond that you’re drawn to?I love Richmond and this is one of the most favorite plac-

es I’ve lived in my life, and I’ve lived in a lot of places. It has a small-town feel but it’s a city at the same time, and I’ve met

amazing, creative, cool people doing their own thing and making it work here. you can go down to the river and hang out and still have a bit of culture and the First Fridays [Art Walk] and see what people are up to. I also love the Southern laid-back attitude of the people that live here. I have met so many great friends.

What’s next?It’s definitely a question of how I’m going

to do it with the baby. [Their son, Wolfgang, is due this month.] It’s a lot of work. Eventu-

ally we’ll want to expand, and our goal is to have all the garments printed here in Richmond. I’d love to do dresses or leggings, and I’d like to do an organic line and a men’s line. I’m working on the fall-winter line now — Need Sup-ply just made an order and Gallery5 ordered some stuff — and I’m drawing in my sketchbook. It’s a fun job for me, and working with my husband is awesome.

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Woven fabric necklaces on amie cun-ningham, top right, are in the Maze Daze pattern; the braided an-tique feather choker and antique knife-print viscose t-shirt are new designs.

belle ● MARCH 2010 | 15 |

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Welcome to the first Belle’s FIT Challenge. We’ve partnered with local businesses to put valuable resources at your finger tips and we challenge you to make positive changes in your life-style by following our program for the next three months. Belle’s FIT Challenge is easy, fun and FREE.

Thanks to our easy to follow exercises and eating plans developed by American Family Fitness and Ellwood Thompson’s, you can get your body in peak condition in just 3 months. We will provide everything you need – the moves, the meals and the motivation to get your best body ever. You will find weekly exercise programs, eating plans, inspiration and rewards in each issue of Belle now through May. What are you wait-ing for? Get started, get moving and get fit.

Want to stay connected, receive weekly email tips and special invites to free bonus workout sessions, food demonstrations, wellness clinics and more? Sign up and commit to the challenge at styleweekly.com/bellefit, or friend us on Facebook at BelleFIT and connect with other participants.

This challenge is all about YOU! Make the most of it.

Lose weight, eat & When it comes to body fat loss and maintenance, results are directly af-

fected by two important factors; exercise and nutrition. They work hand in hand to keep you mentally and physically happy, and they both play a major role in your metabolism. Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories. It can differ from person to person but there are three ways to increase your burn. One way is through the thermal affect of eating. When your body digests food, it burns calories. The more often you eat the more calories you burn. The key word is often. One of the mistakes that many people make when it comes to nutrition is not eating enough. By starving your body, you send it into a survival mode. It will store anything you do eat as fat because it doesn’t know when it will be fed again. By feeding yourself regularly you will assure your body that it is okay to let go of the fat. You should be eating small meals of nutritious foods throughout the day. This includes eating breakfast and a healthy snack 30 minutes before going to bed.

A second way to affect your metabolism is in the form of exercise and movement. Every movement you make helps to burn more calories. This includes household chores, yard work and working out. The third and best way to affect your burn is your basal metabolism. At 60 to 80 percent of your daily burn, this is what happens when you are doing little to nothing at all. When you are sleeping, sitting at your desk or driving in the car your basil metabolism is hard at work. A great way to boost this form of calorie burn is to increase the amount of muscle on your body. For every pound of muscle you have, you burn an extra 50 calories a day. This is why the exercise plan for the Belle’s FIT Chal-lenge will help you meet your fitness goals.

feel great!

PROMOTION

Build it up!This Fit Challenge workout is broken down into three phases, one for each month. The first month is a preparatory phase and will build strength in your core and throughout your body. Are you up for a bigger challenge? Every exercise comes with advanced moves so you can continually push yourself. The second and third phases coming in the April and May issues of Belle are designed to boost your metabolism and improve your chances of avoiding plateau.

Cardio: In addition to the workout below, in this first month you should aim to get 20 to 30 minutes of cardio a day. If you don’t have a gym membership, don’t fret! You can get a great cardio workout at home by pretending to jump rope, jogging in place and doing jumping jacks.

Having a hard time with cardio? Mix it up with intervals. Push your-self for a minute then take it back down to a moderate intensity for a couple minutes, then push yourself again. 20 minutes will fly by.

Week ❶ {Core Essentials} ❷ {Push it - Pull it} ❸ {Get on the Ball} ❹ {Take it Outside}

ToolsNeeded

Chair (substitute with railing or pole)Couch (substitute with bench)

Gallon Water Jug (substitute with dumbbell or kettlebell)

Swiss Ball2 Gallon Water Jugs (substitute with

dumbbells or kettlebells)

High Step (substitute with short wall)Gallon Water Jug (substitute with

dumbbell or kettlebell)Railing (substitute with 2 chairs or anything you can hang under)

The Workout:Do each set of exercises

3 times every other day for 11, 13 and 15

repetitions.

Do the core

blasters every day for a

strong, lean core.

BIRD-DOG On hands and knees, keep back in a neutral and flat position. Lift your left leg straight behind you. Once you gain your balance lift your right arm strait in front of you. Hold position for 3 breaths and return to start. Switch leg and arm and repeat for 1 rep. Advanced: On hands and toes.

SQUAT Holding the back of a chair with your feet hip width apart, keep your weight in your heels and bend at your knees and hips as if sitting on an imaginary chair. Lower your body until your up-per leg is parallel with the floor. Tighten muscles in your legs and buttocks as you return to start for 1 rep. Advanced: Do w/o holding the chair.

BENT OVER ROW With a water jug in your right hand, place your left hand and knee on a couch or bench for support. With your back flat and your abs tight, squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull the jug to your hip. Slowly lower the jug back towards the floor for 1 rep. Perform all reps on one side be-fore switching to the other side. Advanced: Perform from plank position.

PUSH & OPEN UP On hands and knees perform a single pushup. At the top open your body to the side by reaching your right arm to the sky. Hold for 3 breaths and return to start for 1 rep. Alternate from side to side. Advanced: Perform same movement on hands and toes.

LUNGE With right hand on back of chair step right foot back about 3 feet. Bend your knees while keeping your upper body erect until your knee is a few inches from the floor. Return to standing for 1 rep. Perform all reps on one side be-fore switching to the other. Advanced: Without holding chair, hold water jug.

BENT OVER SIDEWAYS PULL With a water jug in your right hand, place your left hand and knee on a couch or bench for support. With your back flat and your abs tight, keep only a slight bend in your right arm and pull the jug away from your body until it’s at the same height as your shoulder. Slowly return to start for 1 rep. Advanced: Rest your head on the back of a chair.

WALK IT OUT With your stomach on the Swiss Ball walk out onto your hands, rolling your body over the ball. Walk out as far as you can while maintaining balance. Avoid letting your hips sag by keep-ing your abs contracted. Return to start for 1 rep. Advanced: Perform a pushup when you walk out as far as you can.

HAMSTRING CURL ON THE BALL Laying on your back on the floor with your lower legs on top of the ball raise your hips off the floor to make a bridge from your knees to your shoulders. Bend your knees and roll the ball in to-wards your body pulling with your feet. Return your legs to straight and hips to the floor for 1 rep. Advanced: Keep your hips off the floor throughout the reps.

Y, T, UPSIDE-DOWN V ON THE BALL With your stomach on the Swiss Ball, holding on to a gallon jug with each hand and keeping your arms straight, pull your hands up in front of you to form a Y with your body. Return to the floor then form a T. Return to the floor then form an upside-down V. This is 1 rep. Advanced: Add more weight.

LEAN BACK Kneeling on your knees with hands on hips, keep straight from shoulders to knees by contracting abs. Lean back at your knees as far as you can and hold for 2 breaths. Return to start for 1 rep. Advanced: Hold water jug at chest.

STEP UP & BLAST OFF With right foot on the top of a high step or short wall, holding water jug in right hand at chest height, step up completely and press water jug to the sky. Bring jug back to chest and step down for 1 rep. Alternate sides. Advanced: Lift your non stepping knee to bellybutton height while pressing water jug to the sky.

INVERTED BODY ROW Stand in front of a railing with your hands gripping the rail palm side down. Walk yourself under the railing until you are hanging with your chest under the rail. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull yourself up until your chest touches the rail, pause and lower back down for 1 rep. Advanced: Keep your body straight from your feet to your shoulders.

Planks On forearms or hands, and knees or toes, hold your body off the floor keeping strong and straight like a plank for 30 seconds at a time. Hold yourself straight while facing sideways for oblique planks. 45° Reverse Crunch On your back with legs and arms extended to the sky, contract your abs and slowly move arms over head and legs down until they form a 45° angle to the floor. Return to start.

Andi Surface

Personal Trainer,

American

Family FitnessSat, March 13th at 2pm • Sat, April 10th at 2pm • Sat, May 1st at 2pm

Must be over 18 years old and present a photo ID.Must sign in at front desk and mention Belle’s FIT Challenge.

Class size is limited. Sign up for your spot at styleweekly.com/bellefit

Learn the “Walk It Out” and other techniques at American Family Fitness (West End Location)

11760 West Broad Street, Glen Allen, VA 23233

PROMOTION

Eat the right way.When you look at what diet actually means, it’s what your body needs in quantities and qualities to obtain a healthy body. Keeping a food record of what you are eating can be helpful in determining if you are eating the right portion as well as eating a variety of foods to fuel your body with the proper nutrients it needs to maintain a healthy body. Without proper nutrition you increase your risk of different diseases including diabetes, cancer and heart disease. To obtain balance in your diet you need protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Lean protein sources would include meats or meat alternatives (fish, tempeh or beans), carbohydrates would include whole grains and starchy vegetables (brown rice, sweet potatoes) and healthy fats would include oils and nuts (olive, walnuts). It’s also important to make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day, which for most of us is 64 oz.

Tina Shiver is a Registered Dietitian who is Ellwood Thompson’s consulting nutritionist and also runs her own private practice, Lighten Up Inc, www.tinashiver.com.

Snacks!Banana Shake¼ cup Nuts & Fruit1 oz. Cheese & FruitHummus, Cheese & NutsBanana & Nut ButterGreek Yogurt & FruitCottage Cheese & FruitWhole Grain Crackers & Nut Butter

WednesdayBreakfast Quinoa Pancakes Topped w/Fresh FruitLunch Salad Bar w/ Chicken or Tofu, 1 tbsp Dressing, ½ cup ChickpeasDinner Asian Salmon Steaks, Sesame Garlic Couscous w/Broccoli

SaturdayBreakfast Fruit & Cheese plateLunch Living Kale Salad from Ellwood Thompson’s Raw BarDinner Slice Pizza w/Spinach, Spinach Salad, 1 tbsp Dressing

TuesdayBreakfast Ellwood Thompson’s Breakfast BarLunch Black Bean, Couscous & Pepper SaladDinner Shrimp Kebab, Basmati Rice, Steamed Veggies

FridayBreakfast Greek Yogurt, 1 cup Mixed FruitLunch Black Beans, Basmati Rice, Collard GreensDinner Chicken Kebab, Basmati Rice, Broccoli/Salad

SundayBreakfast Mediterranean OmeletLunch Chicken & Rice Soup, ½ Pita w/ Hummus, SaladDinner Roasted Lamb Chops & Tabouli Salad

MondayBreakfast 2 tbsp Nut Butter, AppleLunch Lentil Soup, Salad w/1 tbsp DressingDinner Spinach Pie, Salad w/1 tbsp Dressing

ThursdayBreakfast Cottage Cheese, FruitLunch Grilled Chicken, Mediterranean Fig SaladDinner Flounder Fillets w/Lime & Basil, Best Rice Pilaf, Salad w/1 tbsp Dressing

Tina will be available for free, 15 minute

consultations at Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market

on the following dates:Monday,

March 8th from 3-5pmFriday,

March 26th from 12-2pmMonday,

April 5th from 3-5pmThursday,

April 22nd from 12-2pmfull recipes available at styleweekly.com/bellefit

PROMOTION

| 20 | MARCH 2010 ● belle

With the $6500 tax credit, your next home is closer than you think.

With low interest rates and the $6,500 Home Buyer tax credit, buying your next home has never been more affordable.

But you must act now. The credit expires April 30, 2010.For more information, visit


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Fashion Cues d e t a i l s

1. Vintage bright orangecicle bracelet ($10) at Exile.

2. Windbreaker by Ali Ro ($275) at Levys.

3. Lace-up flats by Deena & Ozzy ($38) at Urban Outfitters.

4. Sunglasses ($20) at Urban Outfitters.

5. Orange and green printed scarves by Two’s Company ($28) at Frill Seekers in the Shops at 5807.

6. Skinny belt ($22) at South Moon Under.

7. Bright pink jacket by Yoana Baraschi ($278) at London Salon.

by Lauren HeaLyBrighten your outlook with power colors.a Shot of neon

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Melissa Barragan account ExEcutivE, BErgMan group

IntervIewed By Cat BaaB Belle: How’d you end up in Richmond?Barragan: My husband’s job brought us out here from

sunny San diego. at first, the move was really tough because I had never even thought about visiting virginia, let alone mov-ing here. and it didn’t help that we spend our first four months living in a hotel! I feel completely different now that I’ve had a chance to settle in. I really like the city — the Fan is my favor-ite place to hang out — and I have met some great people. and the few Southern accents that I have come across. ... love ’em.

What can you do here that you couldn’t do in California?

travel to different states for weekend trips! It is so amazing how close everything is on the east Coast. If you drive for eight hours straight in California, you are just in northern California.

What are you wearing?a dress (or maybe it’s a shirt?) from H&M, tights from nord-

strom, thigh-high boots by Chinese Laundry, a half-dozen brace-lets from Forever 21 and a wedding ring from my amazing hubby.

When would you wear an outfit like this one?

Out to drinks with friends. I have to admit, I feel a bit fancy every time I dress up in richmond. However, I would wear this outfit to Balliceaux [restaurant] and feel 100-percent comfortable.

What’s your favorite place to shop locally? What about online?

Honestly, when I first moved to richmond from Southern Cal, I did not think I would find anything comparable to the L.a., [Orange County] and San diego boutiques. But I can hap-pily say that I have found a few adorable shopping destinations that definitely rival some of the ones back home. the Shops at 5807, Libbie and Grove and Carytown are amazing! My favorite store for random little things like luggage tags and home décor is dolce designs. For local cloth-

ing, Lucky Lillibet and the new Forever 21 at regency Square are good bets; I always love a bargain. My new online obsession is Lulus.com. they sell adorable dresses at really affordable prices.

Now tell me about the time you helped cast a Britney Spears-Pepsi commercial.

ah, my L.a. days! do you remember the 2001 Pepsi Super Bowl ads that featured Britney Spears dancing through the decades, fi-nally finishing the ad in the new millennium? well, while interning at a talent agency between my junior and senior years at UC-Santa Barbara, I helped pick out the boy who would dance opposite Brit-ney. the kid was beyond excited when I called to tell him the news — he was only 18, and about to make a lot of money by dancing alongside Ms. Spears in this commercial. I never had direct contact with her myself, unless you count the time I silk-screened a tank top with a picture of her face — spelling out her name in rhinestones, of course — and wore it to the premier of her movie “Crossroads.”

If you still owned that tank top would you be wearing it right now?

Oh, yes. totally.

california transplant

Fashion Cues s t a t e m e n t


body & soul a d v i c e

Ask the Checkout GirlSolving a world’s worth of problems.

Dear Checkout Girl,My boyfriend of six months is

driving me crazy. he’s hispanic, second generation in the United states, and I’m Caucasian. the fact that we’re different races never, ever comes up except when we’re out with other people, when he insists on referring to us as an interracial couple and talking about how difficult it makes our relationship. I’ve asked him why he says those things when we don’t discuss them at home and he says that everyone can see we are different so why not broach the subject to break the ice? I’ve told him that it makes me uncom-fortable (not being interracial but making a big deal out of it) and he says I’m overreacting. I’m not sure what else to do.

Elizabeth

Dear Elizabeth,Dios mio! so when you are

home alone having couple time there is no talk about cultural differences but when you’re getting your sunday brunch at kitchen 64 he’s regaling your dining companions with the tri-als and tribulations of dating a white girl? Que pasa with that? Can’t we all just get along? I think there are two possibilities here: either he really does feel that your differences are significant and isn’t comfortable talking about them with you or he has a flair for the dramatic and loves the atten-tion he gets when playing out “Great Moments in the Civil Rights Movement” through your re-lationship. either way, he’s gotta come clean with you. If refuses to and keeps this up, I suggest you Million Man March right out of his life.

TCG, equally

Dear Julia,Maybe it’s the tandoori chicken

talking. Maybe it’s the malaria. Whatever it is, I could plotz from how excited I am that you’re considering such an adventure, kindred spirit! In fact, I ended up in the beautiful city of Rich-mond precisely because I was open to doing something that I hadn’t planned for, but felt right nonetheless. that thing didn’t work out. In fact, it dumped me on my ass in a city full of strang-ers and followed its penis, which was pointing due north like some misshapen and, frankly, nothing to write home about, compass needle. the point is, I ended up here, which is clearly where I was supposed to be. Regardless of where you land, a good sense of adventure and a willingness to take chances will take you far. Good luck!

TCG, internationally

Dear readers, This is the last episode of Ask the Checkout Girl. I’d like to thank everyone who was brave enough to submit their ques-tions to someone whose only qualifications are life experience and a sassy attitude, especially my friends who agreed to let me thinly disguise their problems for column fodder. I have several new projects brewing and will be dropping in on Belle from time to time to share stories. In the meantime, you can keep up with me at thecheck-outgirl.net and at twitter.com/thecheckoutgirl.

Dear Checkout Girl,I’ve been at my job for eight years, and I still

love it. the problem is that I work for a big corpo-ration and my whole division is being outsourced to India. I’ve been given the choice of either a nice severance package or money for relocation and a chance to keep my position overseas. I know that the safe and maybe even smart thing would be to take the money and run, but I am single with no children and am kind of thinking about taking the chance to see the world on the boss’ dime. Am I crazy?

Julia

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THE BIG REVEAL

YOU’RE INVITED!Join Belle Magazine, Mango Salon and Carreras Jewelers for The Big Reveal, an evening of trends and tips for looking your best this spring. Mango’s Creative Team will shape up for the spring with the latest in sassy cuts and stylish designs. See the latest in jewelry from Carreras Jewelers to freshen your wardrobe and complement any look.

April 9th | 5:30 PM | 123 Libbie Ave

RefreshmentsDramatic Makeovers Revealed

Mango’s Creative Team unveils the trends for SpringApril 9th

123 Libbie Ave | 804.285.2800

www.mangosalon.com


body & soul a l t e r n a t i v e s

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There and Back

Again haven’t I been you somewhere before? By VAlley HAggArd

When I arrived for my first rohun ses-sion with Joan Wash at her home in Mechanicsville in June 2000, she took one look at me and said, “Honey, you’ve

got a man coming into your life!”An ordained minister, a doctor of rohun thera-

py, the developer of Soul Source healing therapy and a reiki master, it wasn’t Wash’s credentials that impressed me, but the knowing in her eyes, the conviction in her voice and the energy in her hands.

Upstairs on her massage table, surrounded by incense and ceremonial artifacts, she proceeded to uncover issues that — apparently — had been thorns in my side for more than one lifetime. I saw romanesque sandals on my feet and wore the white gown of a temple priestess. Suffice it to say that I had a huge resentment against men. A form of spiritual psychotherapy, rohun combines past-life regression with hypnotherapy to clear ancient blocks from your energy field.

The day after that session with Wash, a crush I had long since given up on called to ask me out on a date. We got married a year later, to the day. I not only asked Wash to perform our marriage cer-emony, but also gave a rohun session to each of my bridesmaids.

I return for my next session a husband, child and host of new issues later. We catch up for a few min-utes in Wash’s living room before heading back to the table that had facilitated one of the most sig-nificant changes of my life a decade before.

“We’re going to raise your energy first,” Wash says, leading me up an invisible staircase until the lights how behind my eyes rivals the Fourth of July. Wash moves her hands over each of my chakras, stopping at a shiny red jewel she sees on my forehead.

“Honey, you were a princess!” she says. “No, a queen,” I say, surprised at my own audacity. “OK, a queen!” she says, laughing, and then introduces me to the archangel Michael and the most brilliant white light I’ve ever seen. “That’s your soul,” Wash says, “and we’re not leaving here without it.”

She leads me next down an elevator to one of the lower levels of my subconscious. “look at your feet,” she says, and this time I see laced up, pointy-toed boots brushed by the hem of a long, gauzy dress. “Now look in the mirror,” Wash says. I see a more glamorous version of myself — big-ger hair and a more plunging neckline — staring back.

“It’s me,” I say, searching for an understand-ing of where I am, and when. “It’s King Arthur’s

court,” I say finally. “And I’m guinevere.” I feel the queen’s struggle between honor and passion, but through her complex morass of emotion the idea that beauty caused all of her suffering rises most prominently to the surface. “Beauty is dan-gerous!” I say to Wash. “Beauty is criminal!”

“Put your soul back in your heart,” says Wash, who leads me out of england and through events from my current life that created and cemented this odd belief.

At her desk after the session, Wash explains that it’s common for certain issues to lead us to arche-types rather than past lives. I thank her profusely and laugh to myself as I pass guinevere lane on the way to the highway. I feel giddy, daring and even. … comfortable in my own skin? later that evening, at a friend’s house, I meet an artist who specializes in painting women of all shapes, ages and sizes. I ask her to paint me. It feels like jump-ing off a cliff. It feels like a sacrament.

Joan Wash can be reached for rohun therapy, past-life regression or reiki treatments at 615-9274 or by visiting yoursoulsource.com. She also leads a Soul-Source healing sanctuary at the Unity Church of Richmond at 800 Blanton Ave., on the fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m.


aGEndaMar

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C o m p i l e d b y Cat baab, Hilary langford and deveron timberlake

Women of notelearn about and listen to music written by women in a concert celebrating women in the arts, march 21 at 4 p.m. at St. mark’s episcopal Church at 520 n. boulevard. the richmond Choral Society presents a preconcert lecture with guest artist lisa burrs (pictured), a masterworks concert, art exhibition and reception. richmondchoralsociety.org.

“The KiTchen house”by Kathleen GrissomSimon and SCHuSter, $16

it’s the first time out for virginia writer kathleen grissom. Her debut novel, an epic of the antebellum South, stars lavinia, a white indentured servant who doesn’t quite fit in among the slaves or the masters — even after she marries the plantation owner’s son. readers who go in for “gone with the Wind”-type books will find it all satisfying, while locals will en-joy the allusions to richmond, Williamsburg and sundry virginia landmarks. — c.B.

Filmed in FranceCarytown spreads the savoir faire march 25-28 with the 18th annual virginia Commonwealth university french film festival, co-hosted with university of richmond at the byrd theatre. Watch, discuss and reflect upon a juried selection of french cinematic treats while rubbing elbows with an international crowd, including french ac-tors and directors. details online at frenchfilm.vcu.edu.

it’s won tony and grammy awards and is one of broadway’s certified hits. this month the national touring company production of “Wick-ed” makes its richmond debut at the landmark theater from march 10-28. it’s the story of the witches of oz before they ran into dorothy. tickets range from $40-$127.50 through ticketmaster.com.

WitCH WatCH From “15 ans et demi.”


Burning BeatFrom the evolution of trip-hop comes the latest from Bristol blokes robert Del naja (3D) and grant Marshall (Daddy g). their fifth disc is an exquisitely weird collection of tracks that’s slightly creepy around the edges and completely intoxicating. Futuristic blips snag on static dissonance; muted beats crawl amidst the buttery purrs of Martina topley-Bird and Hope Sandoval, keeping with the group’s tradition of roping in guest vocal-ists. it’s an unhurried affair with incredible intensity that burns throughout and de-lightfully stalks the listener.

Groove Consciencenigerian and german soulstress nneka undoubtedly will be called the next Lauryn Hill when her gifted flow and inviting song seep into the mainstream, but her inclusion of afrobeat rhythms and rock-steady flavor make her sui generis. already a cult star across the globe, the singer asks us to be mindful of politics and global injus-tice without being heavy-handed in her thoughtful words and delivery. Provocative and groove-worthy, the disc is pure underground goodness. … but not for long.

NNeka“Concrete Jungle” (Decon inc)

Massive attack“Heligoland” (Virgin)

“eveNiNg’s eMpire”by Bill FlanaganSiMon anD ScHuSter, $26.95

the 1960s already have the feel of an alternate history, so it’s impressive when a writer invents yet another version of that de-cade, as Bill Flanagan has done in his newest novel. in “evening’s empire,” a young english lawyer finds himself managing a band with Beatles-esque import. it’s territory Fla-nagan knows well, having written for rolling Stone and worked for MtV. He’s clearly kept his connec-tions up; the back cover carries endorsements from Bob Dylan and Bono. — c.B.

hot tickEtsit’s a big month at the National, the historic downtown venue that keeps richmond on the musical map. Look out for Ben Folds (pictured) on March 21, amos Lee (March 23) and spoon (March 24) among others, and cap the month with an appearance by Wilco on March 29. see ticketmaster.com for details and prices.

arts & entertainment


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great taste e n t e r t a i n i n g

champe Granger knows who she is. “I’m cheap. I don’t have a design background, I’m a business owner and we’ve renovated lots of houses,” she says. “We want to help

people get solutions, to see the big picture” in their decorating decisions.

In the fall, she and her husband, Roger Boucha-rd, started an online service, mydesignguide.com, to reach people who don’t typically hire pro-fessionals to decorate their homes. The site uses professional designers and recent design gradu-ates to work online with clients from across the country. Clients enter their likes and dislikes in a style-finding quiz, upload photographs of the room they want to decorate, and work with a designer to narrow their preferences. They get drawings of the room’s new look and furniture placement, paint colors, suggestions for furnish-ings, accessories, lighting and details, and price and resource lists for shopping.

“My husband and I come from a technology background,” Granger says, “and we spent several months building the application that’s behind the whole Web site. We’ve had almost a thousand peo-ple register in the last two months, and we’ve been pleasantly shocked at the response already.” She reasons that some people are intimidated by the myriad decorating decisions required to complete a room or a house. She’s faced the same problems in her own home in the city’s Museum District.

“We are fortunate to live here and to have this house,” she says. “We’ve worked on it for four years and have done a lot of the work ourselves. Everything was pink when we got here. I’m glad we turned it back into what it always was in its for-mer life, putting back the trim and hardware. It was built in 1921 and we redid the floors and all those things.”

Decorating the house has been an exercise in practicing what the Web site teaches. “We are frugal,” Granger says. “I buy a lot of my furniture at Target. There are times when I’ve needed a de-signer but didn’t want to pay for it. I don’t want to pay for custom drapes whether I have the money or not. There’s tons of great stuff out there. Why can’t you do interior design from off-the-shelf products?”

The availability of local talent helped put the Web site in motion. “We live in Richmond, and VCU has one of the top interior design schools in the country,” Granger says. “When they come out of school, they are far better designers than I am. So we started a design firm with degreed profes-sionals to help our clients, who want to spend $200 to $2,000 and not $100,000. There is nobody out there doing full room design for $250. What we’re trying to do is educate people about what you can get for that money.”

Like most of their customers, Granger’s tastes tend toward a transitional style that straddles tra-

ditional and updated; it’s “not your grandmother’s house,” she says, but more like what viewers see on HGTV programs. That’s part of the business mod-el, she says. “We want to be the Target of the design world — we want to bring interior design to middle America. Customers can send in their photos at midnight while they’re in their pajamas.”

The process includes phone consultations with the site’s designers, she says, because “this is not

Design for the Peoplehow champe Granger turned frugality into a business. By DEVERon TIMBERLAkE

just a product designed by a computer, pigeonhol-ing you with a style,” but an interactive service.

For her own home, Granger has found cast-off furniture in an alley and refinished it. She’s put to-gether a decorating plan that draws heavily from affordable retailers, catalogs and online sources. It’s in her nature, she says: “Simplicity and afford-ability is our middle name.”

belle ResouRces


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Dog as My WitnessCanine love demonstrates how I’ve changed.

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“Well, goodnight then,” my husband says, from his ho-tel room in Chicago, where he has traveled for work. “I love you both.”

Just a few years ago — just a few months ago, to be honest — I would have been appalled by this “both” business. We don’t have any children: When he refers to us both back home, he’s refer-ring to me and the dog, classing us together.

I hang up the phone and look down at Guin-ness, my husband’s Rottweiler-chow mix, whose head is resting on my knee. Cuddled up to me here is the least self-conscious, most mellow of creatures. Still, he perplexes me. His eyes show such intelligence and depth of feeling, and yet be-tray no anxiety about graduate schools or career achievements. He’s not asking me for a LinkedIn recommendation, or the phone number of my cut-est girlfriend, or even for food or to pet him — at least, not at this moment. He doesn’t know about that poetry prize I won my sophomore year in col-lege. So where’s the catch? I can’t understand this unasked-for, undeserved devotion.

Nor can I account for how he is growing on me, how attached to him I am becoming. Most of my life I’ve been a person who would cross the street to avoid something cute. It seemed to me manip-ulation, a function of mere biology, that I found somebody’s baby adorable, or that I had the sensa-tion of wanting to hug a puppy just on sight. the sheer automaticness of it — my heart jerking up-ward like my knee when struck with a rubber mal-let! It all made me feel too womanly, too maternal, like I wasn’t in control of myself. What seemed trustworthy then were the hard, clear numbers of a grade-point average and the results of competi-tion — the judgment and, sometimes, the approval of people who didn’t know me. Earned things.

It was a hard pose, but one I’d trained my soul to be in, like a particularly difficult yoga position. both highly natural and highly unnatural, it was an attitude toward life and the world that led, more often than not, to grave disappointment. Quite simply, for competitors, the losses will always out-number the triumphs. this becomes even truer, I’ve found, once you leave the world of school and school prizes. approval — your own and everyone

else’s — is harder to come by in the 9 to 5 milieu. think of Sylvia Plath, a hyper-accomplished Eng-lish major, who noted in “the bell Jar” that, after college, she felt like a racehorse without a race-track.

all I can say is that, with Guinness’ head on my knee, I realize that I’m not a racehorse, not anymore (if I ever was a very good one). Here is solid, warm reality: the presence of another creature far less self concerned than me. I love this damn dog, who has shown me, tacitly or unwittingly, that reality. Here is warmth and love, virtually unconditional, not just another fellowship, like the few I won out of the many I applied for, those ones in which I found myself almost apocalyptically lonely.

His head is on my knee, and I am not lonely or disappointed. In many ways, being my husband’s dog, he is like the man I didn’t even know I was waiting to meet and to live with, someone who is less concerned with what I have done or am des-perate to do — the big prizes, published novels, large advances — than with the everyday who I am, who goes to work and shops for groceries.

and I just thank God for that.


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