Get your Rox off...

How exciting!  I finally had another new restaurant to write about! But then sat on this blog for weeks and weeks and am just getting around to posting it now.

After realizing that Element, a bar in Shockoe Bottom on 18^th Street known for hosting live music (mostly bands from the local rock scene), had shut down, I was able to actually fathom the idea that a new restaurant had opened there. 

On the Rox opened up months ago (you know, when I originally intended to post this blog) under owner Erik Brockdorff.  If you haven’t been there by now, you’re behind the times my friend (you’ve been living under a rock? J Too corny?).

Instead of bar tables and booths against the exposed brick walls, now there are (relatively standard) black dining room tables spread out across the main floor.  They made good use of the space, fitting as many tables as possible into the space up front near the floor-to-ceiling windows.  I was there with a large group (about 20 people) for a birthday party and there were able to accommodate us comfortable and (as far as I know) easily.

While the stage that was in front of the main bar is no more, the one in the back behind closed doors remains – but is also the smoking area (heads up non-smokers) and special event area.

I guess I was still stuck in the Element mind set by the time I looked at the menu, because I found it to be very surprising!  It’s not very big, but what they have is impressive.

Now it has been awhile since I first went there, and I don’t exactly have the best memory (nor can I find a full menu on-line) so I can’t tell you exactly what everyone got.  One of my friends opted for an interesting seafood concoction, while another friend got what we called “the heart attack sandwich”, and both said their dishes were really good.

I opted for the boring healthy option, and got the trout which came served over brussel sprouts and…  Now, I had only had brussel sprouts twice before:  once at Acacia and once at my apartment.  Obviously, Acacia sets the bar high and convinced that I liked brussel sprouts and everyone else who bashed them were crazy (yep, tried ‘em for the first time at the ripe old age of 26).  The home-cooked sprouts…maaade me rethink my previous assessment.  So that’s my scale for critiquing On the Rox’s attempt at the controversial veggie, and I must say, they were pretty close to Acacia quality.  I think what made me not a huge fan is how many of them there were – the entire bottom of this huge bowl/plate was just filled with ‘em!  Just enough so that the slab of trout could fit on top without passing the brim of the dish.

It also has what has been called the best happy hour in Richmond.  And rightfully so, since it’s half off EVERYTHING…except entrees.  But that means all appetizers and other food as well as drinks – All. Half. Off.  Check it out Tuesday through Sunday from 3:00 to 7:00 pm at 119 N.18^th Street.

Another shameless movie endorsement...

I hate to re-start my blogging off by promoting another movie trailer (that has nothing to do with Richmond) but it just looks soooo good. And you guys should know by now that I’m a thriller/horror movie fanatic.

So ok, first of all:  I’m a big fan of the Paranormal Activity movies, as well as Insidious.  If you’re not into either of those, well maybe this isn’t for you.. because this comes from their producer.

The story line of this movie seems to be a mix of the story lines from Insidious and Paranormal Activity (probably as well as some other movies you’ve seen about authors trying to write novels and stumbling upon trouble), but it still looks really well done and fresh.  Sometimes using one unique ingredient from several different recipes creates a whole new delightful dish J

I appreciate creepy images without blood and guts, and there definitely seem to be an abundance of new creepy images in this one (see:  kid coming out of box folded up backwards… and alive).  Insidious was some of the creepiest imagery I had seen in a long time, and this movie seems to be picking up where it left off. 

Plus I always thought Ethan Hawke was a pretty decent actor, and he’s definitely really good at acting jittery, confused, and anxious haha.  Plus I adore Vincent D'Onofrio, the actor they have explaining the demon to Ethan Hawke (I only knew him as Abbie Hoffman from Steal This Movie and detective Robert Goren from Law and Order:  Criminal Intent…glad he’s still getting work).

I’M SO EXCITED FOR THIS!  Check out the first trailer below.

Sinister Movie 2012

So it begins! ...again

It's hard to keep up with a blog when you have a really crumby laptop that can't be disconnected from the charger for even a minute without dying.  But I have been working on many blogs over the past few weeks/months (some now sadly outdated haha BUT I'M GONNA POST EM ANYWAY) and I will be gradually getting them all up soon. 

I'm sure all 5 of my followers are thrilled :)

If you’re already afraid of rollercoasters, don’t read this…

But if you’re not afraid - check, check, check, check it out.

This is a computer simulation of a “winged” rollercoaster that was just built at Thorpe Park in London (yes, sorry, it's not near Richmond - but it's cool and I wanted to write about it!!).  It’s called The Swarm and its debut is coming up soon!  …That is if they can fix the whole passengers-arms-coming-off thing.

Computer simulation of The Swarm

The coaster seats up to 28 riders at a time and propels them on a (self-described) "flight through apocalyptic devastation on Europe's tallest winged rollercoaster" with their arms and legs dangling freely.  Get this, it (only) gets up to 62 miles per hour, but includes an inverted 127-foot drop and close encounters with several walled structures to make passengers feel like they are about to crash (so a mix between Alpengeist and a more extreme Big Bad Wolf). Ok, cool:  go on.

Apparently when they tested the coaster with crash test dummies, a lot came back without arms AND/OR legs. Say whaaaaaat? Is this a typical problem to run into post-construction?  Shouldn’t they get all the physics worked out during the design phase?  At least physics that say at some point during the ride passengers are exposed to forces capable of ripping off limbs?

Pics of damaged dummies (heh)

So the crash test dummies must’ve just been big ol’ p****s, because the ride’s designers decided to go ahead do some test runs with human beings – specifically former British fighter pilots.  REALLY? How many waivers and disclaimers did those pilots have to sign before getting on that thing?  Would you agree to be a guinea pig?  …I might.

Anyway, the pilots all came back with arms and legs still attached.  Hooraaaay.  However, they called the ride “gut-wrenching” when it came to “the near-crash”.  The team leader of The Blades (a stunt pilot organization) told The Metro (a London newspaper) that even as a pilot accustomed to G-force, the ride was a bit much and the near-crash was “eye-watering” because passengers really felt like they were about to crash.

So I’ve been watching these videos over and over (fighting motion sickness along the way) trying to figure out how this ride is capable of dismembering test dummies.  Compared to a lot of other modern-day coasters, it seems pretty run-of-the-mill IMO.  Thoughts?

Check out a test run here

Oo! PS - According to a Yahoo.com article about The Swarm, someone in California is trying to build the world’s first “zero-gravity” coaster!  It gon’ imitate simulators NASA uses to train astronauts ya'll!

Read an article about it here!

A Very Dub Step Christmas

REPRESENT VIRGINIA!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

(to find on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jo76w0KyDw)

Cannot wait to see this...don't know what I'm gonna do til then...

I want to read this novel first - bc even the author says that this movie is an awesome adaptation of his story!

Check out "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

My brother's name is Kevin...coincidence?...or inspiration? (Juuuuust kidding Kev :) Love yoooou)

PS - Here's another one that may even help you learn French

The 1st RVA Musicfest

Slight delay on this one.  Lot of information, not a lot of time to focus on it.

On Sunday September 11^th, Richmond made history by having its first all hipster music festival J Ok, maybe that’s a stretch, but it definitely had a target audience in mind.  The 1^st (Annual? Will it happen again? Can it even be called “annual” the first time around?) RVA Musicfest took place in Shockoe Bottom on 18^th Street between Main and Broad, with the main stage being on 18^th and Grace St., while a 2^nd stage was on Franklin between 18^th and 19^th St.

Officially, the event took place on Saturday September 10^th as well as Sunday September 11^th.  However, Saturday was filled with “Showcases” at local bars and clubs, and I’m sure each has its own amazing review, but I only went to three of them and they all added up to a pretty typical night in RVA if you ask me, so let’s focus on the important biz.

Sunday was where (when?) it was at.  The headlining bands were Girl Talk, Best Coast and The Trillions (I’m gonna go ahead and throw No BS! Brass Band in there, too.  They’re a personal local fav of mine.)

The gates opened at 2:00 with the first act, The Climbers, going on at 3:00 on the main stage.  Local band Proverbial was the first band to play on the 2^nd stage at 3:30.  The crowds were thin when I arrived around 4:00.

The streets may have been closed, but the bars were open.  McCormack’s (in collaboration with WRIR 97.3 FM Richmond Independent Radio) even had a special set-up in their upstairs section where fans could sit in on interviews with the bands after they played.

Tents from local spots like the Camel and Republic were set-up with contests, prizes, and promotions while a blimp floated above Tiki Bob’s Cantina in the (approximate) center of the madness. (lots of free cigs were given away surprisingly – if you weren’t in attendance, you missed out cancer lovers).

The masses started to gather around 5:00.  By the time the 7:00 bands went on, you were officially standing in a crowd no matter where you went.  But it still wasn’t bad compared to other festivals/concerts/whatever.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or just aren’t into this kinda music J) you knew one thing to expect from this concert:  Girl Talk would equal pandemonium.  And oh how it did.  This is where the crowds stopped and the mob began.  That guy is a never ending party, and everyone wants in.  And by never-ending party, in this case, I mean an hour and 5 minutes of dance, sweat, props and every song you’ve heard at a party since you were a teenager (or younger in some cases).

http://rvamusicfest.com/mediaarchive/pdf/webRMFspreads_revised2.pdf

PICTURES TO COME SOON