hey blog buddies,
it's been awhile and I know all you faithful readers have been checking everyday hoping for a new post. Well here it is... I moved back to Raleigh for the start of the school year. Things have been going so so, its fun and all being back but Richmond was a blast, I'll really miss that city. Getting ready to go to ASLA meeting Thursday, I'm really pumped, it should be the heat. Going to see my girl Jenna, we are going to tear it up in Phili. Hope all is well with you world,
Holla
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
1/2 way done with the work week
Let's just say that I am happy this week is only 4 days long. It is flying by very quickly. At work I have been working on large residential projects. I am focusing on the planting design and the construction details. I think by the end of the summer I might have to ask my boss to write me a note to get me out of construction drawing class... I am getting good. So these past two days this week I have been spending a good amount of my time on CAD without doing much designing. I never thought I would miss designing on a regular basis - but I do. So guess what I have taken up in the mean time? (John/Laurie: don't judge). I have been designing a few business cards and websites for a few artist here and there. It will be a fun project to have over the summer and I get to design spaces!!! Well, web space. I am thinking about sending a business card around to advertise with some people my roommate networks with and maybe get a few residential design jobs this summer in the mean time. First I need to update my website though. We will see if this goes anywhere...
Monday, May 26, 2008
Exploring Richmond
So the reason I decided to take an internship in Richmond was so I would have the opportunity to check out the dynamics of the city without having really any commitment. So I think that in 3 months I will have enough time to understand the inner workings of the city, make a few friends, and see if this could be a city that I could look for a permanent job in after grad school.
So a little about Richmond - It is a city that is incorporated and not associated with a county. Richmond is 38% white, 58% black, and the rest is Asian, Native American, and Hispanic. It is an extremely historic city and had important roles in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Richmond is a very urban city and consists of many interesting neighborhoods, each with their own character. This weekend the Bob and I got to walk around and get to know a few of these neighborhoods.
For starters where I work is called Old Manchester which is located across the James river from downtown Richmond. Old Manchester originally was its own city and was predominantly a white area until the 50's when it experienced "white flight". Now since annexed by the city of Richmond, Old Manchester is predominantly a very poor, black neighborhood. The area consists of very interesting warehouses and an urban "main st" that is mainly vacant of merchants. This area is planned to be re-gentrified in the next 10 years and will more than likely take on the persona that will be similar to Glenwood South in Raleigh.
Across the river in downtown, there are very cool neighborhoods. One in particular is Shockoe Slip and directly below it Shockoe Bottom. These two areas are lined with cobble streets and are full of awesome restaurants, bars, swanky condos, farmers market, and shops. I have eaten and been out several times since I have been here and have always had a great time.
Further north of downtown is known as the Fan. This is a residential area with beautiful historic row houses and neat markets, bars, shops, and restaurants mixed in. It is a very lively, urban neighborhood and the majority of the VCU kids live there. North of that is an are called Carytown and this area is more like something you would find on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Filled with shops, restaurants, eateries, the awesome old movie theater called Byrd Theater where the Bob and I saw a movie yesterday, and tons of other cool stuff to do - all in all a very neat and active neighborhood.
Further north is my neighborhood - the Northside. It is full of beautiful little cottage-like homes mixed in with big historic homes. The neighborhood has pubs and restaurants within walking distance and everyone here is very friendly - I like it.
So with all those neighborhoods explored with the Bob we liked Carytown the best. We also got the opportunity to go do some Memorial Day activities. We went to the historic Hollywood Cemetery which overlooks the James and is the resting place to Richmond elite and Jefferson Davis, James Monroe, and John Tyler. Very beautiful and very big.
We also got to check out the VA War memorial which is dedicated to those lost in WW2, Korea, and Vietnam. Very beautiful and impressive. It was a good weekend and we look forward to ending it with a good old fashion cookout this afternoon at Greta's house.
So a little about Richmond - It is a city that is incorporated and not associated with a county. Richmond is 38% white, 58% black, and the rest is Asian, Native American, and Hispanic. It is an extremely historic city and had important roles in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Richmond is a very urban city and consists of many interesting neighborhoods, each with their own character. This weekend the Bob and I got to walk around and get to know a few of these neighborhoods.
For starters where I work is called Old Manchester which is located across the James river from downtown Richmond. Old Manchester originally was its own city and was predominantly a white area until the 50's when it experienced "white flight". Now since annexed by the city of Richmond, Old Manchester is predominantly a very poor, black neighborhood. The area consists of very interesting warehouses and an urban "main st" that is mainly vacant of merchants. This area is planned to be re-gentrified in the next 10 years and will more than likely take on the persona that will be similar to Glenwood South in Raleigh.
Across the river in downtown, there are very cool neighborhoods. One in particular is Shockoe Slip and directly below it Shockoe Bottom. These two areas are lined with cobble streets and are full of awesome restaurants, bars, swanky condos, farmers market, and shops. I have eaten and been out several times since I have been here and have always had a great time.
Further north of downtown is known as the Fan. This is a residential area with beautiful historic row houses and neat markets, bars, shops, and restaurants mixed in. It is a very lively, urban neighborhood and the majority of the VCU kids live there. North of that is an are called Carytown and this area is more like something you would find on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Filled with shops, restaurants, eateries, the awesome old movie theater called Byrd Theater where the Bob and I saw a movie yesterday, and tons of other cool stuff to do - all in all a very neat and active neighborhood.
Further north is my neighborhood - the Northside. It is full of beautiful little cottage-like homes mixed in with big historic homes. The neighborhood has pubs and restaurants within walking distance and everyone here is very friendly - I like it.
So with all those neighborhoods explored with the Bob we liked Carytown the best. We also got the opportunity to go do some Memorial Day activities. We went to the historic Hollywood Cemetery which overlooks the James and is the resting place to Richmond elite and Jefferson Davis, James Monroe, and John Tyler. Very beautiful and very big.
We also got to check out the VA War memorial which is dedicated to those lost in WW2, Korea, and Vietnam. Very beautiful and impressive. It was a good weekend and we look forward to ending it with a good old fashion cookout this afternoon at Greta's house.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Welcome...
I wanted to create a blog to write down all of the wonderful turns my life has taken recently and share them with those who are interested. This first message will be rather long but I feel that I must start this bog about three weeks previous.
With the semester ending and schoolwork piling high, I decided to add more things to my already heaping plateful...
1. The first pending deadline was the First Friday open studio show earlier this month. With my final project in pieces, I swept it all together to create something to tack up on the walls of our downtown studio.
2. The next week was our final critique. Working late into the morning every night to complete my final studio project - I made it to the critique on Wednesday and got critiqued... it sucked.
3. PAPERS PAPERS PAPERS...
4. The big move to Richmond, VA - The Saturday following my critique the Bob and I loaded my car and his dad's truck and drove 2 1/2 hours north to the Capital of the Confederacy. Met my awesome roommate Carrie, and settled into my adorable little apartment on the Northside.
5. The following Monday I started work at my internship at an interdisciplinary firm in a neighborhood of Richmond named Old Manchester called 3North. Check them out at www.3north.net and make sure you check out the awesome renovated warehouse I work in called The Coregated Box - it used to be a cardboard box factory.
6. Partly into the work week, I leave half day Thursday and head on down to the land of the pines - making my way to North Caroline for the bachelorette party and the wedding of one of my dearest friends Carrie Hall, now Mrs. Christopher Hogan. Fabulous time all weekend until Sunday morning when I had to pack to Raleigh to work on a model and paper (which I lucky got an extension on - thanks Ferny!). Got it done - thank God. I left Raleigh at 430 am on Monday morning to head north to get to the job and entrusted my work to the Bob - hoping he would turn it in for me. He did.
7. Back to work first thing Monday and meet the new intern Vanessa. Pretty cool for a Hokie architect. The work week flew by though just in time for the Bob to make it up to Richmond to meet me for Friday Cheers on the James River after work... awesome.
So it was crazy hectic these past 3 weeks and to top it off I was very sick with a bad cold that I am finally getting over - thanks green tea.
So here it is the summer finally and how do I know? I got to explore the entire city of Richmond with the Bob this holiday weekend and its not over just yet - We get to spend tomorrow at one of good friend's house for a cookout! Life is good.
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