Hanover Lifestyle magazine - March/April 2015

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2 Hanover Lifestyle

One redbud seedling can change the way a child cares forthe world. Project Plant It! is a hands-on educational program that uses trees to connect environmental awareness with science, technology, engineering and math—connections that can grow into a greener future for us all.

Project Plant It! is a partnership between Dominion and the Arbor Day Foundation, and is offered at no charge to elementary schools in Dominion service regions.

Trees that grow communities.

ProjectPlantIt.com

HealthDigital Titanium Age of Dentistry

FlavorIn Search ofSweet Spots

TasteBudzDining & Drink News

First of All News from Around Town

LocalThe Next Name in Lights

Pla-Mor PoolsThird Generation Pool Selling

Project Plant It!Dominion’s Enviro-Education

HomeAntiquesContemporary + Collectible

Rooms with a ViewMerging Indoors & Out

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MARCH/APRIL 2015Contents

OUR SEARCH FOR SWEETS BROUGHT

TASTY SMILES

RichmondNavigator.com 3

4 Hanover Lifestyle

Renewal

THIS TIME OF YEAR, clichés pour from my tongue like waterfalls after snowmelt. Those over-used phrases flit through my mind like butterflies fresh from a chrysalis. I think of “bright beginnings” and “new life” as I “spring into action.” The writer in me

flinches, but this warm-weather outdoors lover can’t help but bask in the promise of tender blossoms, bright green foliage and short-sleeve weather.

And thus I see this issue of Hanover Lifestyle. First of all, we look at local news: enjoyable and educational programs in Hanover’s

libraries, including a program on making Pysanky Ukranian Easter Eggs; gardening classes and community events; Hanover County recreation classes; and why Ashland is such a great place to live.

The home decorating focus provides inspiration to bring new life to your living spaces. Jody Rathgeb gets advice from two local designers for mixing antiques into home décor. And Vicki O’Neil guides you in creating a more vibrant connection between indoors and out.

Let the enthusiasm of youth energize you in this issue, as Jack Trammell looks at per-forming arts and entertainment in Hanover schools.

Yes, spring is sweet, so what better to feature in this month’s In Search Of department than bakeries and other sweet spots? Donuts and cupcakes and tarts, oh my! Another Flavor feature this issue is TasteBudz, our regular roundup of the top local food and beverage news.

Let Hanover Lifestyle inspire you to venture out into the community, to explore the businesses, restaurants and groups that make this place a garden of delight!

Annie [email protected]

ABOUT OUR COVERVicki O’Neal tells us how to blend interior and exterior spaces.

MARCH/APRIL 2015From the Editor

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

William J. Davis, Jr.

VICE-PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

Cheryl T. Davis

MANAGING EDITOR

Annie Tobey

FOOD EDITOR

Steve Cook

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Tammie Wersinger

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Joey Wharton

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Nora Bollinger

ADVERTISING CONSULTANT

Jared Davis

ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

Beverly Montsinger

CUSTOMER SERVICE CONSULTANT

Colleen MacCabe

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Justin Warner

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rick Bancroft, Temple Hill, John Magor, Robert Thomas

CONTRIBUTORS

Vicki O'Neal, Jody Rathgeb, Jack Trammell

ADVERTISING

Hanover Lifestyle magazine is published bimonthly by Advertising Concepts, Inc.,

6301 Harbourside Drive, Suite 100 Midlothian, VA 23112

P: 804-639-9994E: [email protected]

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OR THOUGHTS OF HANOVER LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE, ADVERTISING CONCEPTS, INC OR THE PUBLISHER.

MARKS ADVERTISER-SUPPORTED CONTENT.


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First Of All MARCH/APRIL 2015

LIBRARY PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGESPROGRAMS AT THE MECHANICSVILLE BRANCH Library provide entertainment for children as well as adults.

Ongoing story times for children are held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Tuesdays bring Mother Goose tales at 10 a.m., preschool stories at 10:45 a.m., and family story time at 11:15 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. On Wednesdays, take your toddler for tales at 10 a.m. and your preschooler at 10:45 a.m. or enjoy family story time at 11:15 a.m. Thurs-days feature toddler tales at 10 a.m., preschooler stories at 10:45 a.m., and family story time at 11:15 a.m.

Seniors have their own time for light and lively tales on the fourth Friday of every month at 10 a.m. The Friends of the Mechanicsville Library provides refreshments as well.

The library presents a special program on making Pysanky Ukranian Easter Eggs on March 21 from 10 a.m. to noon. Pysanky (from the Ukranian “pysaty,” meaning “to write”) is a way to use the wax-resist method to create beautiful eggs. Refreshments will be provided.

The library is located at 7461 Sherwood Crossing Pl. in Mechanicsville. Call 804-746-9615 for more information.

Pysanky is a way to use

the wax-resist method

to create beautiful eggs.

6 Hanover Lifestyle

If you have news you’d like to share with Hanover Lifestyle readers, send it to us at [email protected].

THROUGH HANOVER MASTER GARDENER CLASSES or the Hanover Towne Garden Club, local gardeners or gardener wannabes can improve their knowledge, skills and yards.

Upcoming Hanover Master Gardener classes in-clude “Insects in your Garden: CSI in the Garden” on March 7; “Pollinators, Pests, and Insecticides: How to Manage your Garden for Pollinators without In-secticides” on March 14; and “Canning, Freezing and

Drying Produce” on March 28. Classes fill quickly and some March classes are already full, so sign up soon at HanoverMasterGardeners.org.

To enjoy the company of and learn from other local gardeners, join the Hanover Towne Garden Club. The group meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Hanover Evangelical Friends Church, 6240 Mechanicsville Turnpike. For more information, call 804-227-3786.

A RECENT NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER SURVEY POLLED residents of the Town of Ashland, who said that their hometown is one of the best in the nation. Of more than 300 communities surveyed, the 2014 survey ranks Ashland seventh in the nation. Measured benefits included participation in town-sponsored events, traffic enforcement, neighborliness, resident confidence in municipal government and other categories such as the quality of public spaces, economic health, downtown vibrancy and cost of living.

The survey, called the National Citizen Survey, evaluates and ranks communities based on resident feedback without regard for community size. This year’s survey benchmarked the town against major cities like Phoenix, San Diego and Dallas as well as other Virginia communities, including Williamsburg, Charlottesville, Purcellville, Chesterfield and Hanover County.

The Town of Ashland uses the survey results to improve services and public perceptions. More information about the survey and complete results are available at Town.Ashland.VA.US.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO, a new skill to learn, an enjoyable way to fill time – for you or your kids? Hanover County offers a wide range of classes for all ages.

Kids can build their fitness lev-els or STEM (science, technol-ogy, engineering and mathemat-ics) skills and learn martial arts, baton twirling, cooking, archery and more.

Adults can join a variety of fit-ness classes, including Zumba and Boot Camp, as well as learn danc-ing, archery or stained glass. They can take financial education classes or join just-for-fun clubs with fel-low quilters or fans of bridge, ca-nasta and chess.

The county also offers targeted classes for therapeutic recreation and seniors.

For details and registration, visit HanoverCounty.gov/Parks-and-Rec/Recreation-Classes/.

WHY IT’S GREAT TO LIVE IN ASHLAND

HANOVER COUNTY RECREATION CLASSES

INSPIRATION AND LEARNING FOR HANOVER GARDENERS

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composed and recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and just completed an original score for The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct.

Barry Flowe, lead teacher specialist for the perform-ing arts for Hanover County Public Schools (HCPS), believes these success stories are not an accident. “I am very proud of our performing arts programs in Hanover County Public Schools,” he says. “The support we receive from our school board, the families of our students and our local community members is terrific. This support leads to successful programs that allow our students to have amazing experiences.”

The variety of arts-related events to choose from is quite impressive, ranging from traditional band per-formances to avant-garde art displays. There are also traditional favorites, such as the Hanover’s Got Talent! Show, held each February at Hanover High School.

People outside of Hanover County also recognize the special relationship with the arts and community that the HCPS fosters. In 2014, for example, the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants)Foundation announced the results for the 15th annual Best Communities for Music Education survey, and it included Hanover.

“I am excited that Hanover has one again been recognized as a Best Community for Music Education,” Flowe says, adding that news about former students is always popping up, too. “Another product of Hanover County Public Schools is doing great things on Broadway. I just heard that Bud Weber, a member of the ensemble cast of Aladdin on Broadway and an understudy of the Aladdin character, is going to step into the lead role on February 7. That is very exciting news!”

Patrons of the arts can find an updated calendar of cultural events for Hanover’s public schools online. Go to HCPS.us and navigate to For Parents, to Departments / Instruction in the left column, to Performing Arts, and then to Event Calendar.

Private schools of varying sizes in the area also promote the arts, including a number that emphasize it within the curriculum as well as for the benefit of the area community, including Collegiate, Liberty Christian School, Richmond Waldorf School and St. Catherine’s.

Collegiate School, for example, whose students include boys and girls from the greater Richmond area in grades K through 12, has impressive facilities for the arts, including the Hershey Center for the Arts, with the 620-seat Oates Theater; studios for art, music, and drama; and a darkroom for photography. Famous Col-legiate graduates in the arts include cartoonist Steve Kelley, musician David Allen Schools, and actress Scottie Thompson. Collegiate provides myriad events for the community relating to the arts every year.

Local colleges and universities also are part of the community cultural arts fabric. Randolph-Macon College (R-MC) in Ashland publishes an impressive calendar of events open to the public. Go to RMC.edu and navigate to Public on the News and Calendar link.

R-MC annually invites to campus numerous innovative artists and performers such as composer and pianist Gregg Kallor and comedian and Mary Washington University Professor Christopher Kilmartin. In addition, the Richmond Symphony calls the campus its other home, regularly performing to enthusiastic audiences at the Blackwell Auditorium.

If you live in the Hanover area and are looking for quality entertainment, try out the arts in the schools. You never know who you might be seeing on stage now that might be in Hollywood or on Broadway later on. To quote from Annie, “I think I’m gonna like it here!”

Patrons can have a good time, see quality entertainment on a reasonable budget, and support local schools and students.

THE LIGHTS DIM; the crowd quiets; the curtain slowly rises. An 11-year-old red-headed orphan is about to make her mark. Broadway? No. It’s a school right down your street where you might be seeing the next Sarah Jessica Parker!

Some of the best entertainment and performing arts in the area are generated by students at local schools. Many of the events are not just for parents and friends, but open to the public as well. The best part is that patrons can access affordable and quality entertainment – and possibly see future stars in the making – all while supporting their local schools, students and teachers.

Many well-known performers got their start in the local Hanover schools, where they sang, played roles on stage, danced or in other ways displayed their artistic gifts. The list of who’s who includes celebs such as singer-songwriter Jason Mraz, who graduated from Atlee High School; musician Daniel Clark; actor Clinton Roane; composer Gordy Habb; and Samson Trinh, director of the Upper East Side Big Band.

Mraz has been nominated for Grammy Awards four times and has won twice. His trip to musical fame began with a road trip to San Diego, but not before he lived an idyllic childhood near Mechanicsville, a town that he called “very American” and “a good place to grow up.” Mraz is also widely recognized for his philanthropic work and social activism. His most recent studio album is entitled simply Yes!

Every young person who plays video games knows that the accompanying music can make the gaming experience much more intense. Gordy Habb composes the music that drives several popular games. According to Habb’s webpage, “The music for EA, Bioware and LucasArts’ highly popular Star Wars: The Old Republic just won two of the industry’s most highly coveted awards – Best Original Soundtrack and Best Instrumental Music at the 10th Annual G.A.N.G. Awards.” Habb has

PERFORMING ARTS AT LOCAL SCHOOLS Entertainment & Rising Stars for All to Enjoyby Jack Trammell

MARCH/APRIL 2015Local Students, staff, faculty and community

members star in an annual adaptation of

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Photo courtesy of Randolph-

Macon College.

10 Hanover Lifestyle

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integrated, and harmonious Interior Design and Landscape Design solutions. From

consultations to turn-key construction for projects large and small. FORM & FUNCTION,

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MECHANICSVILLE NATIVE KENNY CLEMENTS, owner of Pla-Mor Pools, has been in the pool business for virtually his entire life. Certainly his entire working career has been spent in the industry. “I started,”

he says, “by carrying my father’s tool bag to and from job sites when I was only 11 years old.”

His parents, Earl and Iva Clements, started the company and began build-ing pools in 1968. By the late ’80s, Pla-Mor Pools opened a retail operation in Mechanicsville. This allowed them to expand into above-ground pools and spas as well as a multitude of chemicals and pool accessories. A second store, in Ashland, was opened shortly thereafter.

Today, Kenny Clements and his wife, Jennifer, run the business, along with their sons. “We are very excited to be a third-generation company,” Clements says. “We love having our sons take such an active role in the family business.”

Clements hopes the business will continue in the family for some time to come. “The addition of our first grandson, Cayden, hopefully, is the start of the fourth generation to carry on the family business,” he says. “However, since he’s only a year and a half old, we’ll give him a little bit more time to make that decision.”

When you consider that only about 30 percent of family businesses survive into the second generation, it’s rather remarkable that Pla-Mor Pools has been serving Central Virginia for 47 years and is looking towards the future and continued growth and success. What is the secret behind that success?

“Great customer service, extensive product knowledge of the best brands and long-term stability set Pla-Mor Pools apart,” Clements says. “We feel that

offering the best brands and product education for our employees are key to great customer service. Our customers lead busy lives, so we want to make the best recommendation – the first time they ask!”

In addition to the sale of pools, spas, chemicals and accessories in the retail stores, the Pla-Mor Pools service department provides repairs, openings, clos-ings, maintenance and small- or large-scale renovations to existing pools and spas.

To ensure that your family can continue to enjoy your pool for years to come, yes, maybe till the fourth generation and beyond, it’s a wise idea to call on the one family in the area who has been doing this for nearly 50 years.

“We are very much a family at Pla-Mor and have some of the most amazing customers who are an extension of our family,” Kenny Clements says. “Many of these folks have been doing business with us for more than 30 years and will come by just to say hello or share the latest news or family pictures.”

“Our staff works hard to earn a customer’s business and even harder to keep it. For this reason, we never subcontract work to other people. If Pla-Mor Pools has been hired to do the work, then we do the work! It is the best way to maintain our high quality standards.”

Pla-Mor Pools Mechanicsville / / 7225 Bell Creek Rd. #238 / / 804-746-5555Pla-Mor Pools Ashland / / 119 Junction Dr. / / 804-798-3667PlaMorPools.com

THE FAMILY THAT PLA-MORS TOGETHER, STA-MORS TOGETHERPla-Mor Pools // by Steve Cook

“We are very excited to be a third-generation company.”

MARCH/APRIL 2015Business

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EACH SPRING, school systems throughout the Richmond region partner with Dominion’s Project Plant It! to teach third-grade students about the starring role that trees play in the ecosystem.

Now in its ninth year, Project Plant It! provides teachers with a variety of nature-based lesson plans and activities to transform the classroom into an indoor/outdoor laboratory where students can connect with the environment. All of the instructional materials – including the teacher’s manual, posters, certificates, the website and more – support state learning standards and essential knowledge skills in math, science, language arts and social studies.

Each April, Project Plant It! participants receive a redbud tree seedling in honor of Arbor Day. This culmination inspires children to plant their own tree and care for it over the years.

Laura Marshall, third-grade teacher at Grange Hall Elementary School in Chesterfield County, loves teaching about trees and the environment with Project Plant It!

“The program encourages students to take initiative and be proactive about planting the redbud seedling with their families,” she says. “Project Plant It! has been an important component of my spring curriculum for more than five years. The students really enjoy the activities, especially when they can go outdoors to practice their math/science skills in investigation, measure-ment and analysis. Thanks to Project Plant It!, learning is so much fun!”

New this year is an opportunity to nominate a teacher who creatively incorporates the Project Plant It! lesson plans, instructional tools and website activities into the classroom curriculum. Later in the spring, Dominion will recognize several outstanding teachers and will share some of their innovative teaching ideas. Details about the nomination process can be found at ProjectPlantIt.com in mid-March 2015.

More than 43,000 third-graders across the Commonwealth, includ-ing 12,000 students in the Richmond region, are participating in Project Plant It! in 2015. Dominion, parent company of Dominion Virginia Power, established the program in 2007 to educate children, plant trees and improve the environment. Since that time, more than 288,000 tree seedlings have been distributed to students in areas where Dominion conducts business.

For more information about Project Plant It!, visit the website or Facebook page.

DOMINION’S PROJECT PLANT IT!BLOSSOMS WITH EDUCATIONAL TEACHING TOOLS

Project Plant It!

EXHIBITORS FROM ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC

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VENDORS: THERE’S STILL TIME TO SIGN UP!

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mark your calendar now for the summer camp fair you won’t want to miss!

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FREE and FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

PLUS the Diggity DudesLIVE in Concert!SUNDAY

March 29 1:00 to 4:00 pm

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IT AMAZES ME, and I lived through it one day at a time. The revolution and innovations that occurred in dentistry in my career of 45 years (and still going) are astounding.Many things I learned in dental school, like anatomy and other basic

sciences, have not seen the dramatic changes that attitudes, materials and technologies have seen.

Dentists in the era before me were basically taught to maintain teeth until they were “bad” and then make dentures or removable false teeth. A great deal of my dental education was about extracting teeth and making false teeth. Dental floss, extensive fluoride use and overall dental hygiene were not everyday things in the mid-20th century (1950-1975).

Composite resin, which replaced silver fillings, happened during the journey to the moon. Metals like titanium and bone grafts became the basis for implant dentistry today because its properties were not known earlier. I’ll only mention the computer and the Internet, which, even daily, change my work as a dentist.

They used to say that there was a golden age of dentistry, but then it became the platinum age, and today I believe it would have to be called the digital-titanium age. What will the future hold for dentistry? I can only imagine!

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Health

MARCH/APRIL 2015

IN SEARCH OF

Sweet SpotsDelicious, delightful, scrumptious, ooey-gooey, rich, ambrosial, mouthwatering, yummy – the list of “sweet” words is as long as our love for sweets! Explore the variety of sweet spots throughout the

Richmond area, each with a mouth-watering, mind-blowing explosion of tasty treats. Try them all, discover your favorites, share with your family and friends, celebrate a special occasion or just celebrate today.

Your taste buds will thank you!

Looking for a scrumptious morning pastry, amazingly divine dessert or sweetly special treat? Each morning, Lark ’s scratch kitchen turns out delicious breakfast items like turnovers, muffins and scones, followed by cook-ies, cupcakes, cake truffles, brownies, custom cakes and mini pies. Their signature classic Derby pie uses the owner’s great grandmother’s recipe – the bakery’s name-sake! Customer favorites include the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookies, the rich triple layer cakes served by the slice each Friday evening from 7-10, and Saturday morn-ing’s giant cinnamon rolls. Life’s a sweet lark at this Mechanicsville bakery!

6104 Brashier Blvd. Suite E804-789-1413

Lark BakeShoppe

PHOTO: RICK BANCROFT

PHOTO: TEMPLE HILL

PHOTO: TEMPLE HILL


Flavor

MARCH/APRIL 2015Flavor

Since 1911, the Williams family has been satisfying the sweet tooth of customers in Richmond and Hanover County. Their first bakeshop in Church Hill was followed in 1963 by one in Mechanicsville. Wil-liams bakers use scratch formulas, fresh ingredients, and no preservatives. They’ve been renowned for their doughnuts for years – long before the current Richmond trend – with each round of sweetness hand flipped before dawn. Williams Bakery products include a variety of cakes and cupcakes, custom-made wedding cakes and scrumptious chocolate creations – like the ultimate Yo yos, Pigs or Mounds, drowning in creamy, chocolaty goodness.

8084 Mechanicsville Tpk., 804-746-8370309 East 9 Mile Rd., 804-737-78019502 Chamberlayne Rd., 804-559-4240TheWilliamsBakery.com

WilliamsBakery

Sisters Demi Emmanouil and Litsa Kotsis brought their love for baking to Mechanicsville, inspired by their grandmother and mother, who made scrumptious desserts from old family recipes. Understanding the impor-tance of quality ingredients, Sweetly Smitten’s baked goods use the finest and freshest ingredients possible: Madagascar bourbon vanilla, the fin-est chocolate, and the freshest butter, eggs, milk and locally grown fruit. You’ll enjoy their wide variety of cupcakes with rich, luscious toppings; cookies; baklava; cake pops; and more. Got a wedding or other special occasion? Call Sweetly Smitten for beautiful, tasty custom cakes.

8324 Bell Creek Rd., Ste 700804-496-1820SweetlySmitten.com

Sweetly Smitten

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF WILLIAMS BAKERY


HANOVER TAVERNLoaded sweet potato chips, Chesapeake-style crab cakes, Cornish game hen and crème brûlée: dine on a four-course meal as you watch Hanover Tavern’s upcoming play, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

13181 Hanover Courthouse Rd.804-537-5050HanoverTavern.org

Spotlights

JAKE’S PLACEFrom the owners of Yohman’s Garden comes Jake’s Place. Open since January, this “Southern Comfortable” style spot will serve specialties from Yohman’s Garden such as mari-nara sauce and jalapeño jelly. Check it out Tuesdays through Sundays for lunch and dinner and brunch on Sundays.

511 Thompson St.804-798-EATSJakesPlaceAshland.com

O’BANKS CAFÉ & GRILLO’Banks dishes up Irish-American fare such as shep-herd’s pie, bangers & mash, and homemade meatloaf. Choose from a selection of draft and craft beers and don’t miss March’s specials, from Burger Night Mon-days to Crab Leg Night Tuesdays and Sundays.

10392 Leadbetter Rd.804-550-3888OBanksCafe.com



TasteBudz with Steve Cook

MARCH/APRIL 2015Flavor

SCOOP DU JOURFELIZ ANIVERSARIO – Mexico Restaurants – with six locations around the metro area, including one in Woodlake at 12031 Southshore Pointe Rd. and one at 7001 Forest Hill Ave. – is kicking off its big sil-ver anniversary celebration, which will be running through much of 2015.

It’s their anniversary, but it’s their guests who will be getting the gifts. Prizes to be awarded through the coming months include free lunches and dinners, gift certificates, merchandise, even cash. And then there’s the big giveaway. The grand prize is so grand that I’m not even allowed to tell you what it is…yet. But stay tuned – owner Maria Garcia, whose parents started the business back in 1990, says come May 1, she’ll be announcing the grand prize.

Why all the giveaways? “We have always strived to give our best to the community,” Maria says. “This celebration is not just about ourselves. We’ve been blessed to have been in business these 25 years and we want to reward our customers and our community.”

In addition to some fantastic prizes, Mexico Res-taurant is offering great 25th anniversary specials virtually every night of the week. From family nights on Monday with free meals for the kids to Throwback Thursdays, when you can enjoy Mexico’s all-time favorite meals for just seven bucks each, you’re gonna want to get in on all the festivities.

To learn more about the specials, the prizes and the celebration and to share your personal memories of Mexico Restaurant, visit their website, Mexico-Restaurant.com.

OPENINGSA FAMILY AFFAIR – While The Giambanco’s Italian Grill at 7500 Arch Dr. (Giambancos.com) may be new to Mechanicsville, having opened in mid-January, the Giambanco family is certainly not new to the restaurant business. Nearly 40 years ago, Anthony Giambanco, who came to America from Palermo, Italy, opened his first Roma Ristorante in Tappahan-nock. In 1993, Anthony left that restaurant in the capable hands of his brother, Johnny, and opened his second Roma on Staples Mill Road near Lakeside.

The Giambanco’s Italian Grill is owned and oper-ated by Anthony’s two sons, Filippo and Guiseppe. I spoke with Filippo recently, and he told me, “We’ll be using many of our popular family recipes. We specialize in hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood and gourmet salads.” Everything in the restaurant, he says, is homemade, from the pastas to the salads to the dinner rolls and desserts.

“A lot of people have been telling us,” says Filippo, “that Mechanicsville needs a place like this.” I whole-heartedly agree.

JAKE’S PLACE IN THE HEART “I’ve loved this place since I was a teenager,” says Wendy Yeoman. She’s talking

about Jake’s Place. Wendy’s memories are of a place whose golden days had already come and gone by the time she fell in love with the building. Jake’s Place had been a gas station and country store, of sorts. “They sold a bit of everything from ammo to fishing gear to bait,” says Wendy, “a little of everything.” “They” were Jake and Rosalie Speers, who operated the place during the ’30s and ’40s.

And while Jake was a bit of an eccentric, everyone loved Rosalie, who, Wendy says, was very active in the community. Even long after their deaths, the community fondly remembered Rosalie, who had died back in 1974.

Through the decades, the building, long aban-doned, sat in disrepair. In 2012, Sumpter Priddy bought the property and subdivided it, donating a portion of the land to the town of Ashland for a park. The other portion, where Jake’s Place sits, he leased to Wendy Yeoman. Wendy and her husband, John, have made extensive renovations and have now opened Jake’s Place Restaurant at 511 Thompson St. in Ashland (JakesPlaceAshland.com).

I visited with Wendy recently in Jake’s Place. It’s hard to imagine that this was, only recently, a roadside eyesore. The warm and cozy restaurant was packed for lunch on the weekday I was there.

And no wonder. Not only is the place beautiful, but the food is fantastic. Everyone with whom I’ve spoken raves about their dining experience. “It’s

TWO NEW RESTAURANT OPENINGS IN THE COUNTRY both offering excellent options for hungry Hanoverians, plus big doings at Mexico Restaurant in Mechanicsville – all that and more in this issue of TasteBudz

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Southern-comfortable food,” says Wendy. “Everything is homemade and fresh, and we source as much as we can locally.”

Menu favorites include barbecue, sea-food and grits, and the collard greens, of which Wendy says, “They’re so fresh, you’d swear we had someone’s grandmother tied up in the kitchen preparing them.” Just to be sure, I checked. There was no granny being held captive, at least not on the day of my visit.

Wendy says the response has been over-whelming. “The crowds are unbelievable. I think it has a lot to do with the love the community has for Rosalie.”

IN OTHER NEWSLET’S GET FRESH (AND HEALTHY) – When we were doing our restaurant radio show, The Flave, on WHAN in Ashland, one of our good friends and regular guests was Sam Mirshahi, the owner of Brick Oven Pizza,

139 Hill Carter Parkway in the WalMart Shopping Center. I’ve long had a soft spot in my heart for Sam’s chicken wings, so when I was up in Ashland, I stopped in for a bite or two. Sam is not only a really good guy, but his kitchen consistently produces some truly excellent Italian fare. It’s not just the wings, or the pizza, but whether you’re in the mood for a sub or delicious lasagna, you can count on a tasty meal. And, oh yeah, no one beats Sam’s onion rings.

Sam says with spring coming on, he’s putting more healthy foods on the menu. “We’re adding more gluten-free entrées, too,” he says, “such as gluten-free spaghetti, ravioli, and pizza. More and more of our guests are requesting it.”

Speaking of fresh and healthy, I stopped in at Great Harvest Bread Company at 9369 Atlee Rd. in Rutland Commons (GreatHarvestBread.com) and visited with owner June Bergeron. Wow! What a place. Nothing beats the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through the room. June de-scribes Great Harvest as a whole-grain bread company with a focus on breads baked daily, using pure and simple ingredients. “We only sweeten our breads with honey,” she says.

She tells me that all of her wheat is grown in Montana (“They have the best wheat farms in the United States,” June says) and is stone ground daily, right on the premises.

The bakery also offers fresh salads, and with warmer weather looming, she is intro-ducing several new cold plates, including their fresh, homemade chicken and tuna salad plates.

There are a few tables in which to enjoy your salads or a sandwich (roast beef, ham and Swiss, or turkey) served on one of their fresh breads, but in addition to take-out, Great Harvest delivers to nearby offices. “We can do sandwiches for up to 300 peo-ple,” June says, with 48 hours notice needed

for larger orders. She also offers early morn-ing deliveries (scones, cookies, muffins) to local businesses. Check out the website for a full menu, including the current pie-of-the-month special.

BREWS IN THE NEWSMAKING A BIG BANG – When we met Chris and Phil Ray, the brothers behind Center

of the Universe Brewing in Ashland, back in the fall of 2012, they were in the process of opening their brewery. At the time, when asked about expansion plans, Chris told us, “We don’t want to grow super fast. For the first couple of months the beers will only be offered within Hanover County.” However, looking to the future, he predicted that within the next four years, COTU would be a regional distributor serving Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.

Looks as if Ray’s prognostication is right on target. Besides its existing wide distribution in Central Virginia, on Jan. 29, the brewery issued this press release: “Starting Monday, February 23, COTU will be rolling into the Norfolk/Virginia Beach market with Hoffman Distributing.” So, by now, folks in Hampton Roads are enjoying some fine brews that come directly from the Center of the Universe.

If you have any restaurant or brew-ery news to share, drop me a line at [email protected].

In This Edition

Mexico-Restaurant.com

OrderStart.com/Choose/BrickOvenPizza

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JakesPlaceAshland.com

GreatHarvest.com

COTUBrewing.com

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MARCH/APRIL 2015

Commissioned to renovate a house in Windsor Farms, interior designer Jennifer Stoner pairs an antique Italian farm table with custom modern lighting from local designer Nicholai Jerome of Spartan Studios. Photo by John Magor Photography.

HOME


Designer Jennifer Stoner brings antique pieces into a modern space: a restored

Steinway piano, an ivory inlaid rosewood cocktail table and a Moroccan game table with marquetry detail. “These pieces have

such beauty and detail that we wanted to complement them with quieter, more

clean-lined pieces,” Stoner said. Photo by John Magor Photography.

THE WAY SOME PEOPLE react to antiques, you’d think that claw-foot Edwardian chair had real claws, or that a 1750 longcase timepiece was actually a time bomb!

Are antiques really that scary? They shouldn’t be, and adding a bit of the old to a contemporary room shouldn’t be daunting. Blending older traditional pieces with a sleek modern home, or vice versa, is a great way to make your décor dynamic.

Rick Friedrichsen, design specialist and events coordinator at LaDiff, a Richmond furnishings and design store, says an eclectic décor adds more interest to a home. “Don’t be mired into one style,” he says. “I like a juxtaposition of things. It’s a yin-yang tension.”

His colleague Lea Huggins, another LaDiff design specialist, agrees. “Everything is just so one-note if you keep it all the same.” The comple-mentary forces of yin and yang, she adds, bring out “the fun of it.”

Micheal Sparks, owner of Micheal Sparks Design and MJDModern

in the Manchester area of Richmond, also favors blending period pieces and modernism. “Highlight that [antique] piece because of its craftsman-ship, and bring in modernism for design,” he states, adding that a modern setting can elevate an antique to a higher level.

ECLECTIC HOMESAll three designers practice what they preach. Sparks favors modernism, yet lives in a Georgian house that includes pieces dating back to 1780. Friedrichsen says the master bedroom in his 18th-century home is traditionally furnished, but dis-plays contemporary art. Huggins is his opposite, leaning toward animal prints and bright colors, yet her leopard-print dining room includes an 80-year-old server.

How do you lose the fear of the claw and the time bomb to blend an-tiques that you might have inherited or collected with an existing contem-porary room, or bring a modern piece into your traditional house? The designers offer a few tips.

THE BEAUTY OF THE BLEND Tips from Designers // by Jody Rathgeb


DON’T CHOOSEStop thinking of your house or even a room as traditional, period or modern. Friedrichsen says it’s important to realize that contemporary furniture merely distills what came before. For example, “A Barcelona chair is just a take on an ancient Roman piece,” he says. “Contemporary furniture doesn’t spring from nothing.” Look carefully at what is modern and you can identify classics such as the wing chair. “There’s nothing new under the sun,” Friedrichsen adds.

The key is to focus on the continuity of time while adding touches of the new to the old. “Bring in the edges of modern design or use a fabric with a pop of color,” suggests Sparks. Above all, be fearless. “When doing the eclectic mix, it’s never a mistake,” he says.

YIN AND YANGEclecticism is all about bringing opposites togeth-er for a more intense experience. Friedrichsen uses the metaphor of cooking to explain the process: “When you bake, you add a little salt because it complements the sweetness.”

Huggins agrees. “It’s always a give and take. You tend to look for the continuity,” she says, but adds that refining the blend is paramount.

“I have two rules,” she continues. “First, start with what you love and get rid of everything you don’t. Then, edit, edit, edit.”

Editing means finding a way to use your “op-posite” piece as if it is sculpture or art rather than a mere addition, or giving it a new purpose. Want to add your collection of old bottles to a modern room? Friedrichsen says, “Use them in a sculp-tural way,” and suggests perhaps massing them at the fireplace. Sparks likes the idea of adding new functionality to old pieces, such as rewiring an ice box so that it can be used as a refrigerator.

“I’m a firm believer that if you add elements you have to use them,” he says. “Only bring something in that you can use. Use that antique china or put the old armoire to use holding towels. I wouldn’t bring in an old Victrola unless it played. If you display something, display art, not things.” So that bottle collection? Sparks would fill the bot-tles with specialty vinegars and oils to serve at the dinner party that features music from the Victrola.

POP WITH COLORWhile color follows fashion and there are hues and combinations that recall certain eras (think “Williamsburg blue” and the oranges and avo-cados of the 1970s), it remains both emotional and personal, even among designers. Huggins,

for example, never met a color she didn’t like, while Friedrichsen prefers earth tones. Recognize the power of color and refuse to be bullied into using a color just because it is trendy or is historically correct. When you “add a little pop” with a red, yellow or cobalt accent, be sure it’s not something you will hate within a month.

The beauty of the blend remains, in short, the realization that décor need not be just a moment in time. Eclecticism gives a room the most personality possible – your personality. So if you love the old pie safe as much as you love your Wolf range, there’s no reason that they can’t live together in the same kitchen.

After all, a little time warp never hurt anyone.

Micheal Sparks Design, 205 Hull St., Richmond // 804-230-4855 MichealSparksDesign.com or MSDModern.com

LaDiff, 125 S. 14th St., Richmond // 804-648-6210 // LaDiff.com

TOP: Designer Micheal Sparks blends period pieces and modern designs in his own home. Photo by Rick Bancroft.

BOTTOM: Creative agency WORK Labs sports a vintage eclectic style inspired by deconstructionist architect Frank Israel. The Monument Avenue house-turned-studio was contracted by Steve Berg and is equipped with whimsical objects such as an old birdcage rewired into a lamp. Photo by Tony Giammarino.

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MARCH/APRIL 2015HOME


Vi c k i O' N e a l , owner of FORM & FUNC TION, provides commer -c ia l and res ident i a l inter ior and l andscape des ign . She i s a pro -fess ional memb er of ASID, VA C er t i f ied In -ter ior D es igner (C ID) , Master Gardener, and a VA C er t i f ied Landscape D es igner (VSLD) and a

Hor t icu l tur i s t .

804-897-8558

FormAndFunctionLLC.com

OPPOSITE PAGE Natural light dramatically impacts the character and appeal of any interior space and produces a spacious look and feel.

THIS PAGE To maximize enjoyment of the outdoors from the inside, evaluate what is seen from each view and locate landscape features and focal points for optimum enjoyment from multiple vantage points.

ROOMS WITHA VIEWby Vicki O’Neal, ASID, CID, VSLD

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON spends in excess of 90 percent of each day indoors? It’s not surprising that your interior environment − its ambience, comfort, function and features − has a major impact on your day-to-day experience and quality

of life. Two of the essential elements impacting the character and appeal of any interior space are the visual connection to the outdoors and the amount of natural light entering the space.

Expectations about the connection between interior and exterior translate into nearly universal design norms. For example, homeowners expect a window above a kitchen sink. If a home layout makes that impossible, designers will mimic the experience of visual relief, perhaps by locating the sink on an island looking towards the exterior.

As this design standard demonstrates, the importance of connecting the interior to the exterior cannot be underestimated. I don’t have concrete data to back this thinking, but I do believe a home with a strong link between outside and inside is more valuable in every way. For many

reasons, I like to assess both when designing either. In other words, I approach a project from the inside out and the outside in. Designs that integrate interior and exterior produce an intrinsic sense of cohesiveness and harmony that is unlikely to be achieved any other way.

To create this indoor/outdoor connection, focus on blending aesthetics, capitalizing on views, integrating circulation and improving functional relationships. You can achieve these goals by making simple interior or exterior changes, by engaging in more complex exterior projects or by bringing the outside in.


EXTERIOR TOOLSOutdoor rooms extend the livable spaces of your home conceptually and functionally, creating a more expansive feeling.

• Consider how to best use the outdoor spaces that are physically adjacent to your home. Focus on primary needs of specific areas, such as cooking, eating, relaxing or simply enjoying nature.

• Blend your home’s indoor aesthetics into your outdoor spaces.

• Alternatively, craft a complete departure between indoor and outdoor spaces. If you’d like a mental getaway, choose a particular style or motif that perhaps mimics a favorite vacation destination, such as the beach, a mountain cabin or an urban setting. You can use architectural features or accessories to achieve that look.

• Repeat design elements from inside, including colors and flooring.

EXTERIOR PROJECTS Improve the connection between the interior and the exterior through more involved project ideas.

• Imagine an arbor with the romance of a flowering vine wrapping through it, an architecturally built roof with attractive columns for support, or a retractable awning for maximum versatility. Structures like these help to generate a strong sense of enclosure plus a visual extension from the inside.

• Consider constructing a screened porch to provide a cool, protected retreat and a comfortable space from which to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

• Give thought to installing a grade-level patio to replace your deck, especially if it has seen better days. Decks, with their pickets and railings, can be a major visual obstacle to enjoying outdoor views.

CONNECTING THE SPACES Optimize the indoor-outdoor connection by adding or upgrading exterior lighting. This not only provides important safety but also produces an opportunity to enjoy outside features that would otherwise be lost in the dark. Bring nature inside by cutting early blooms, evergreens and grasses or by collecting branches with berries, cones or unique bark. Naturalistic arrangements are stunning and unusual and can brighten any setting.

Engage these design concepts when any interior or exterior project is on the horizon. These double-duty and mirror-image principles can take the best advantage of all your home has to offer – inside and out!

INTERIOR TOOLSTo blend the inside with the outdoors, take note of exactly what you see from each view when looking through windows and doors. Improve connection by:

• Locating outdoor features and fun focal points so you can easily view them from inside.

• Configuring spaces to increase natural light, thus making a room look and feel larger.

• Using window coverings that maintain views and are easy to open. Consider using lighter fabrics, blinds or shutters, or even no window dressing at all. If strong sunlight is an issue, translucent shades or sheer fabrics can control light while maintaining the view and minimizing heat gain from direct sunlight as well as fading of upholstery and surfaces. When hanging draperies or window toppers, install them higher on the wall so the full height of the window is unobstructed.

• Creating new openings, extending your views and dramatically expanding a room’s visual space. For instance, a window can be converted to a glass door, creating new outdoor views and access. A new window can be installed or an existing one enlarged to enhance visibility.

• Removing detachable window grills, especially on the back of your home, where there is less need for uniformity.

I approach a project from

the inside out and the

outside in.

Visit the FORM & FUNCTION Lifestyle blog by Vicki O’Neal for more information on entertaining, interior design, and landscape design at FormAndFunctionLLC.com.

Screened porches provide a cool, protected retreat and a comfortable space from which to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

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Hanover Lifestyle magazine - March/April 2015

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