Short Pump Movie Recommendation- Four Christmases...

Well, my husband and I only go a non-kid movie about twice a year. . . kind of sad given that we loved going to the movies before we started a family.  It seems our movie time and movie budget gets allocated to Disney, Pixar and other animated movies throughout the year.

But, we do make it a tradition to go out sometime before the crazy Christmas holidays . . . so last week we went to see “Four Christmases” at the Short Pump Regal Cinemas.  This movie was so funny that I felt I had to recommend it to fellow Short Pump parents and couples.

On its surface it is a romantic comedy but it has so many scenes about families and the interesting relationships that we have with parents and siblings.  I am sure most anyone can relate.  When you mix these universal family matters with really funny sayings and scenes, it makes for a great movie.

If you want to laugh A LOT and feel a little sentimental about the seemingly traumatic childhood incidents that so affect us in our present life, this is a great movie to see.

Short Pump Chinese Restaurant Secret- Far East Bis...

I have been to the Far East Bistro Chinese Restaurant in Short Pump at least 5 times now and without fail, they have always provided and served excellent chinese food and service.  The one thing that puzzles me is that it does not seem that Short Pump knows about this restaurant because it never seems to have many patrons.

Perhaps they are still working on their marketing, but I can tell you that without a doubt, when it comes to tasty, fresh and authentic chinese cuisine, this is the best place to get it in Short Pump.  I am a long time patron of Chen’s in the Twin Hickory which also has good chinese food, but Far East Bistro’s food is a lot better.

Also, the restaurant has a very nice atmosphere.  The dining area is ultra clean (a huge plus in my book), the decor is professional and almost trendy (unlike many of the older chinese restaurants that have very tacky decor), and the owners and waitstaff are so friendly and helpful.  Your drink is always full.

This is a locally owned restaurant business that recently launched and so I hope you will give them a try. Their lunch is very affordable and while their dinner menu is slightly pricier than Chens and Yen Ching, the extra few dollars is worth the uniquely fresh dishes and the nicer atmosphere.

You cannot go wrong with their dinner dishes and you should try their fried banana dessert (topped with chocolate)- scrumptious!

I rate this restaurant the best chinese restauarant in Short Pump.  Visit their website to see the food selections:  Far East Bistro

Short Pump Va Community- Patronizing Locally Owned...

Last week I commented about the need for Short Pump Va to focus more on patronizing our locally owned businesses.  Today I was reading the Wall Street Journal and I noticed that Chrysler, who just received billions of dollars in taxpayer bailout money, takes a full page ad in the national paper to say thanks for the money.

I don’t know about you, but I was a bit upset that this company was spending the money on newspaper advertisements. The more I think about the economic problems, the more strongly I feel that the best way to help the country is to help the small family owned businesses in local communities rather than the large corporations who just continue to waste money.

It is the small business that needs to provide real valuable products and services so they can feed their families.  It is the small businesses in each community that hires over 50% of the workforce.  It is the small business which remain innovative when it comes to better serving customers and communities.  It is the small business that feels more responsibility when it comes to its employees and business partners.  It is the small business that cannot afford waste, extra expense accounts and luxuries for executives.

Given all this, I think that both government and communities can help by thinking about how to help small business owners survive and grow in a difficult economy like ours.

I hope that residents of any community, including our Short Pump community, will understand this and make extra efforts to shop, patronize and support our local small businesses. . . the ones not owned by large corporations but owned by our neighbors.

Short Pump’s Grocery Obsession and Business ...

First, we have Ukrops in the epicenter of Short Pump.  Surrounded by a Kroger, Food Lion, and Walmart’s Grocery Section all within less than a mile. Then came Tom Leonards which brought a nice addition to our grocery offerings. This year, we got two more wonderful stores with the long awaited Whole Foods Market and Trader Joes.

Recent news also include the planned upscale Kroger on the corner of Broad and Lauderdale and Food Lion’s decision to update its stores.  Now, I am the first to admit that the Food Lion on Lauderdale is not the greatest place.  But, have you ever been to a Bloom’s Grocery Store?  These are the new grocery stores being launched by Food Lion and they are really nice.  I frequent one when I am in the VIrginia Beach area.

It is interesting but even with all these additions, my grocery habits have not changed that much.  I am still extremely loyal to Ukrops for 95% of our family grocery needs.  On Sundays, I will venture into Kroger and sometimes Food Lion.  I do sometimes splurge on a Whole Foods visit when we are cooking a nice dinner or having company.  I also have lunch there every now and then at their pricey salad bar. And, I do like to buy wine at Trader Joe’s.

I do wonder how all these businesses can remain in business though.  The one I fear will fall is Tom Leonards which to me would be the last I would want to go.  This is not for my own reasons as I do not shop there very often, but because out of all the options, it is the one that is closest to a small business.

Small business owners work so hard and always face uphill battles against larger corporations. Yet, small business is what drives the American economy.  I know the papers are filled with the demise of large corproations but what they fail to highlight is the closings and the struggles of the small business owners in all communities including ours.

While Short Pump is inundated with big retailers and franchises, I hope everyone will make some effort this Christmas to patronize the small business owners who are sprinkled throughout our shopping centers.

Short Pump Restaurant Review: Mexican Cuisine?...

My husband and I are major mexican food lovers.  We have actually made trips out to California just to get some great burritos, gorditas and tacos.  We just love real authentic Mexican food.  One of few disappointments we have about Richmond is that we have not been able to find a Mexican food restaurant that even comes close to the great homemade and tasty Mexican food that they make out West.

Now there are quire a few Mexican restaurants in Short Pump and we have been to all of them.  They all seem almost exactly the same when it comes to standard Mexican cuisine.  But, in the past year, we did find one restaurant that seems to stand out over the others and that is Guadalajara in Short Pump.

While I think that their chicken tacos are a bit average, some of their other dishes are pretty good.  I especially like their fish tacos and shrimp tacos.  Their food has been unbelievably fresh in 95% of our visits and their service is second to none.  Our drinks are always filled and re-filled and the chips with their two choices of dips are always good! Plus, compared to others in the area, the restaurant feels a little cleaner.

So, if anyone is looking for an alternative to Casa Crande and Mexico, you should definitely try this one out.

Short Pump- The Walmart Lesson...

I have always thought that the Short Pump Community was an interesting combination of small town life with bigger community aspects.  Not too long ago, Short Pump was nothing more than a single road with a few small gas stations and houses.

I guess it all started when Walmart decided to build their store here.  Since then, it has been a wild ride of unbelievable development and growth. So, it was interesting to hear about that horrible story where a Walmart employee somewhere died as a result of the mad Black Friday rush of aggressive shoppers.

I read that story and felt like there was a lesson behind it.

Overall, I think the rampant growth in Short Pump has been good because it has brought a whole new element to Richmond which, before Short Pump, was quite a conservative and sleepy town.

Many residents of Short Pump are transplants from other cities and towns which brings a lot more diversity and growth to our social community.  The recent retail explosion is also quite interesting.  While I still struggle to understand how it can be sustained, I do like having access to the latest stores that are usually only found in larger metro city areas.

But, one thing that is happening in Short Pump as well as the rest of the world is that people are finding themselves always in a rush and with too many things that need to get done. With all the movement in Short Pump, it is so hard to believe that not too long ago, there was just quiet, peace and trees in our area.

One thing I hope for our community is that we will always retain a small community feel when it comes to caring for the Short Pump area, places and people. While this can be difficult with life happening at the pace it is, the history of Short Pump will always be a part of our community.

One thing I find neat about Short Pump is that in the midst of all this activity and rush, people here still find time to slow down, enjoy time with friends and family and live more in the present.  This was not the case in the last big city I lived in. . . and its makes such a big difference when assessing quality of life on a day to day basis.

So while Short Pump on its face will always have the signs of a fast paced growing community, I hope it will never lose its roots of a quiet town and that we who actually live here will never forget the real things that create a high quality of life.

Short Pump Soccer Choices: YMCA v. Richmond Strike...

Well, it is that time of year again where registration opens for the Spring soccer leagues. I have enrolled both my daughter and son in the YMCA Shady Grove leagues for the past three years.

But, I always wonder whether I should try the Richmond Strikers soccer league which I understand is taken a bit more seriously than the YMCA.

Now, I have nothing against the YMCA coaches we have had- they have been great.  However, I and other parents have had some issues with the lack of organization by the YMCA itself on several occasions.  Given that the teams are coached by volunteer parents, I think it is really important that the YMCA ALWAYS have YMCA representatives at the venues each and every weekend to monitor the games and scheduling.

Last season, I saw a fight almost break out between two coaches due to one game going way over in time.  It was not clear which coach was right and which was wrong.  One wanted to finish his game while the other wanted to keep the games on schedule.  Both were a bit impatient but again- so much is asked of these coaches, that all of this could have been avoided with some league management.

I have also heard that the Strikers may be a better league for the “more serious” soccer player.  I have not focused  on this one so much but I do wonder if there is some value.  After all, if you are spending this much time with a league (and money), perhaps it is worth getting the most for your money.

Funny thing is that sometimes I think it is a little crazy that I even think about these issues especially when in “my days (I sound really old), no one really played any organized sports until middle school and sometimes high school.

Anyways, if anyone has any thoughts on the two leagues, please share!

Short Pump Best Buy v. Short Pump Circuit City...

This is my big dilemma of the Christmas season.  My kids are getting to the ages where all they want are electronics for Christmas. .  things like video games, ipods, music, movies and computer accessories.  Plus, my husband also enjoys the electronics and multi-media world.

So the natural place to shop for electronics in the Short Pump is either Best Buy or Circuit City. Given Circuit City’s highly publicized problems and their state of bankruptcy, I guess the answer is easy this year.

However, being a Richmonder and given the fact that Circuit City headquarters is just right outside of Short Pump., I do feel a little personally obligated to help them out when buying in today;s environment.

Here is the thing.  Ever since Best Buy came on the scene, I really liked their in-store atmosphere so much better.  While Circuit City is not this way today, they used to be a high pressured sales place where you could not just browse without a team of sales people attacking you.

I also enjoy the fact that Best Buy is a lot brighter inside.  Now, I must admit, Best Buy sales people are the exact opposite.  From my experience, most of them are not trained at all in the products and many are just high school kids looking to make some extra money.  So, I do not ever rely on them for product information.  Instead I use the Internet.  But, we have found it an incredibly easy place to get what we have already decided to buy.

For awhile, when Best Buy first offered their Bet Buy rewards card, it was a no brainer to shop there because they gave back fantastic coupons and cash back. But over time, they reduced their specials and the amount you could accumulate in best buy rewards.  It was a genius marketing play because for a short period, they took away all the Circuit City customers.

I do think it is important to generally patron local businesses.  I feel this way definitely with locally owned restaurant owners and it sort of applies to the big corporations that are local.  They take part as well in keeping the Short Pump community healthy by offering jobs and participating in community events.

But this year, there is just too much uncertainty surrounding Circuity City and so much states that it is just a little too late.  So, I am off to Best Buy to check some things off of my Christmas list.

Have a great weekend!

Short Pump Schools Will be Affected by Henrico Cou...

When my daughter started kindergarten a few years ago at a Henrico county school in the Short Pump area, I began to understand how important and sensitive matters related to our schools are.  Many of my neighbors and friends chose their homes and neighborhoods specifically for the schools where their children would go to.  Many paid significant premiums a few years ago just for the schools.

So, nothing gets Short pump parents more upset than the thought of our schools changing due to the Henrico county redistricting.  This is clearly the hottest topic at the bus stop each day.

Before I had kids, I would have just thought that there must not be much difference between the various schools in Western Henrico.  However, now that we are “in the game” I totally understand and am actually quite anxious about these upcoming changes.

While my first reaction was that we would just move if the schools changed to ones which we do not want to send our kids to, as I thought more about it, I do not want to move away from my neighborhood or sell my house that l love so much.

I still do not fully understand the process and whether and how relevant resident feedback can be but it is something I am trying to learn more about.  After I do some more research on it, I will provide additional feedback.  In the meantime, here is some helpful information I found on the Internet so far:

The HCPS website for redistricting information is

http://www.henrico.k12.va.us/boundaries/redistricting.html

According to the website, proposed maps will be posted after the December committee meetings. The December committee meeting dates are online at . 12/15 is the Elementary School/Feeder Subcommittee meeting from 5:30-8:30 P.M at the Henrico County Training Facility. 12/16 is the Middle School Subcommittee meeting at Brookland MS from 5:30-8:30 P.M. 12/17 is the High School Subcommittee Meeting at Wilder MS from 5:30-8:30 P.M. The full committee meeting is 12/18 at the Henrico County Training Facility from 5:30-8:30 P.M. These are committee working sessions, so the public is welcome to attend but should not engage the all-volunteer committees which have very full agendas and are dedicated to meeting the needs of all HCPS students.

At this point in the process, the sub-committees have narrowed down possible plans to 3-5 maps. Additional work was required following the Nov sub-committee meetings to take into account expansion of the International Baccalaureate program in 2010 at the Middle School and High School levels as this impacted student numbers at 1 high school and 2 middle schools. After viewing documents on the HCPS website, if you have feedback, please direct those to the sub-committee members via their HCPS e-mail addresses (available at http://www.henrico.k12.va.us/boundaries/RedistrictingFiles/HighSchool2010/Committee%20Member%20List.pdf). In order for the committee to fulfill its charge, the school board and superintendent will await the proposals from the committee in March.

What can you do?
1) Attend the Dec subcommittee meetings if you are interested.
2) Get information online from the HCPS website.
3) Attend the January Community Forums (1/5 @ Hermitage HS, 1/6 @ Elko MS, 1/7 @ Godwin HS. All meetings are from 6-7 P.M.).
4) The second round of community forums is March 9-11. Locations TBD.
5) The School Board will hold public hearings May 13 & 14. The committees are about half-way through the process, but as you can see, there are 3 rounds of public forums and hearings for every interested citizen to engage.
See http://www.henrico.k12.va.us/boundaries/calendar.html for the full calendar.