Brick’s Blog

     Excellent question and it all depends on your perspective. Technically, the West End of Richmond begins at Foushee Street in Downtown. See that’s where street addresses start carrying a “West” directional before the street name. If you had asked my grandmother as a child in the 1890’s living in the 800 block of West Franklin, whether she lived in the West End her answer would have been a resounding “yes.” Ask that same question to a resident of 800 block of Franklin today and they’d think you’d stayed out in the sun too long. Nowadays, this area is considered the Fan.

     We, Virginians, are very proud of our history and without provocation, warning, or permission are likely to launch into a history lesson whether you want it or not. Since you’re now living below the Mason-Dixon line, the polite and accepted thing to do is to listen, nod and act interested. We always appreciate it, if you’ll throw in a few "fascinatings" while we are droning on.

     The name of the suburban county that surrounds the City of Richmond north of the James River is Henrico (HEN’-ri-co) not Enrico. Back in 1607 - whenever we are relating one of these history lessons, we like to use the phrase "back in" to begin about every other sentence. If you’re not a history buff and you ever hear a Virginian begin speaking with a "back in", it is your warning that a history lesson is coming. Just like those beeping sounds you hear when a trash truck puts it in reverse, think of "back in‘ in the same way with the same options. You can patiently wait until you don’t hear anymore ‘back ins" or you can quickly change direction and head away from the noise. Your choice, but remember what I said above and about throwing in a few "fascinatings."

     Anyway, back in 1607, Jamestown on the James River had just been settled and was named for the current monarch of England, (tada) James I of England. (Actually, he was James VI of Scotland and the House of Stuart and had, in 1603,  succeeded Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen (wink wink) of the House of Tudor. These are other "fascinating" stories in their own right, but are for another time. Until then, think Bush-Gore 2000 and Madonna.) Back to back in 1606, James I had granted a charter to the Virginia Company of London (VC) to create permanent settlements in the New World. By 1611, the VC was ready for their second endeavor in Virginia and picked a spot further up the James River just below where the future city of Richmond would be. Since the VC had already sufficiently patronized James I  with his own town and a river and hoping for further royal favor, the VC looked to James’ oldest son, Henry, the Prince of Wales. (Tada) Henricus was born; and none to soon, since Henry died in 1612.   

    Henricus is significant in Virginia and America history in that it was here that Pocahontas was converted to Christianity, met John Rolfe, and then married him in 1614. Henricus prospered and thrived until 1622, when it was destroyed in Indian raids led by Opechancanough  (Pocahontas’ uncle). Never rebuilt, it was incorporated into the Shire of Henrico (1634) and subsequently Henrico County (1637). Until 1749, Henrico County included land south of the James River, which is now Chesterfield County. One of the best example of regional coopertation between some of the various municipalties that comprise Richmond is the Henricus Historical Park located just off Route 10 in Chester, Virginia.

     Fascinating, huh?   

     I’ve been thinking about bananas lately. (Yeah, I know many of you think I am bananas, so why would that be such a stretch?)  Whenever I am on one of my health kicks, I am always buying bananas. I love them with cereal in the morning. At the supermarket, I’m amazed at how inexpensive they are - usually around 45¢ a pound, which is 2-3 good size bananas. They’re exotic, too, aren’t they? And considering what I pay for a pound of coffee, why should bananas be so cheap. What are they, the illegal immigrant of fruit? Sorry, I am disgressing.  

     Well, this a.m. I just could not stop thinking about bananas. Probably some kind of yellow journalism writer’s block or something. Anyway, I Wikipedia’ed banana and here are some of the cool things I learned. (Yeah, I know I’ll only remember this for about 15 minutes…my oldtimers is hell.)

• Bananas are native to Southeast Asia with India being the largest producer of bananas.
• Alexander the Great tasted bananas in the valleys of India in 327 B.C.
• Arab traders brought bananas to Palestine in 650 A.D. and introduced them across northern Africa
• The word "banana" has its root in the Arabic word "banan", which means "finger"
• The Portuguese started their first banana plantations in the Caribbean and Central America in 1502
• A banana has more starch than sugar. Its the 4th most important staple behind wheat, rice and maize. 
• Most banana production is for local consumption since bananas bruise easily and are ruined in transportation (and still cheap)

     And sorry, the effects of smoking banana peels is all urban legend. The FDA even investigated it. Yet, the legend does have some basis in fact. Bananas contain tryptotan which, when ingested, increases levels of serotonin in the body. This is the  same effect as Prozac. A 1998 study found that eating just two bananas a day for three days increased levels of serotonin in the blood by 16%.  Well, that’s good enough for me, I am off to the market. Need any bananas?   

    Yesterday, the Virginia Association of Realtors announced that home sales for June 2006 were down 19% from June last year. There is no question that the Richmond area has been in a softer market for some time now. For most of the country, this is true, too. Here, the softness began shortly after Hurricane Katrina, when the national media terrified the public with stories of unaffordable gasoline and winter heating fuel costs. As the media saw it, we would not be able to afford the gas to get to work much less the fuel necessary to heat our homes for winter.

    Balderdash said the public. By Christmas, buyers were back out in force and it appeared 2006 forebode a strong market. While the Winter and early Spring markets were steady, the Richmond real estate market did not exhibit the frenetic nature which has driven it for the last few years. Buyers actually had a few days to decide on a property rather than a few minutes. All year inventory levels have increased. We are now in a very neutral market, where buyers have an array of good product and relaxed environment in which to make a decision. 

     Style Weekly has just released its 3rd Annual Power List for Richmond. Yep, that’s our new governor, Tim Kaine, occupying the forefront on the cover, but he ain’t Numero Uno, even though his license plate claims so. This distinction falls to the mayor of our fair city, L. Douglas Wilder. Wait a minute, that name sounds familiar. Who is Wilder, again?

     Doug Wilder  is one for the ages. In 1989, Doug Wilder became the first elected black governor in the history of United States. (Hey, pretty progressive for Richmond and Virginia, huh? And people claim we’re still fighting the War of North Aggression.) If there was ever a “uniter and not a divider”, it is Doug Wilder. Last January, Wilder was 75.  In November 2004, when many his age would have been content to rest on their laurels, his commitment to his state and especially his hometown of Richmond called this old warhorse out of retirement to run for Richmond’s first duly elected mayor. Regional cooperation, race issues, and the clash between the public and private sectors have always presented problems for the City of Richmond. Doug Wilder mitigates these issues every day, while reminding the occupier of the Governor’s Mansion that the true power in Richmond is his. 

     Do you ever feel like doing a Kramer double take? You know the move, when Cosmo sends his body into a complete flutter in response to comment or situation occurring around him. I know almost weekly I have one of those moments when I feel like I am in a Seinfeld episode. From now on, I hope to transcribe those events when they happen and post them here. Let me give you an example of a Seinfeldian Moment from earlier this year.

     For Christmas, I had received a biography on Ben Franklin by Walter Isaacson. We Virginians often think that the “only” Founding Fathers were Virginians. After reading Isaacson’s book and watching several televised symposiums taped during the 300th anniversary celebration of Franklin’s birth, Franklin now ranks with Washington and Jefferson on my short list of most significant Founding Fathers. Considering I grew up in the Northern Neck of Virginia (birthplace of Washington) and graduated from Mr. Jefferson’s University (UVA), old Ben should be delighted he’s on my personal “Mount Rushmore.” (In case you wondering about the 4th – Robert E. Lee, also born in the Northern Neck. The epitome of a Virginia Gentleman and I’m not referring to the bourbon, but I digress and Lee should be a subject for another time.) 

     Benjamin Franklin retired when he was 42 (1748) and then spent the remainder of his life, another 42 years, in public service. Franklin was the first media mogul who successfully franchised his printing and publishing business throughout the original colonies. In 1753, Franklin was appointed deputy postmaster general of North America by the British crown and reformed the postal service. Within a few years, Franklin had postal deliveries between Philadelphia and New York down to 2 days. Now there’s a true information superhighway. Of course, controlling the pace of communication between the Colonies wasn’t bad for the publishing business!

     It’s a shame today that no one at the U.S. Postal Service has a vested interest like Ben did. At the end of January, I went to the Post Office to pick up stamps for a postcard mailing I was doing. After waiting the perfunctory half hour for a Postal Clerk, I cheerfully asked for 1,000 postcard stamps. The clerk then informed me and did so with a straight face that the Post Office didn’t have any 24 cent stamps, which was the new postcard postal rate as of January 8th. “I could have 1,000 23 cent stamps and 1,000 1 cent stamps.” Excuse me, trying not to go POSTAL, the U.S. Postal Service raises its rate, its 3 weeks past the new rate start date and the Post Office doesn’t have a product for its required new rate? “No, and we don’t know when the new 24 cent stamps will be printed either.”

     Oh, what a time for a Kramer shutter, but being pragmatic, just as my newfound hero Franklin would have, I accepted my 2,000 stamps and the thought of handling each piece of my mailing an additional 1,000 times.  

   I have always heard that Chiswell Dabney Langhorne Perkins (how’s that for a  moniker and  so Virginian) coined the phrase. Chil was a friend of my father and was a truly delightful person. They grew up together in Greenwood, which is a small community about 15 miles west of Charlottesville. While at the University  (that’s the University of Virginia), Chil would see his Richmond friends go home almost every weekend. Since Richmond is east of Charlottesville and appeared to have some mystical allure over his friends, the allusion of Richmond as Mecca was supposedly born. This story has always made sense to be, since Chil was always quick with a bon mot. Even when I was at the University a generation after Chil and my father, I always heard my Richmond friends say "they were going home to Mecca." Sadly, I can’t think of anyone who can validate this since my father’s circle of friends have passed, but I am delighted to perpetuate this myth in Chil’s memory. 

July’s issue of Richmond magazine features an advertising center insert on Virginia’s best attorneys as voted by their peers. I know you will sleep easier tonight knowing there seems to be no shortage of able and competent lawyers in the Commonwealth capable of handling any matter. I know I will. And yes, that’s Richmond’s own, Elliott Yamin of American Idol fame, gracing the cover. Yet, the really significant piece in this month’s issue is on the area’s top mechanics and I don’t mean the ones you hire if you need someone whacked. Having a good mechanic who you can trust is invaluable. Need a good one, try my friend, Bubba, at Cabin Creek Amoco at the corner of Patterson Avenue and Gaskins. Now who won’t trust a mechanic named Bubba?