New Day Care & Learning Center To Hold Grand Opening

The new Tutor Time Child Care & Learning Center in the Towne Center West development (just west of Short Pump Town Center) will hold a grand opening celebration this Saturday, November 1, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Many family activities are planned throughout the day including the chance for kids to meet firefighters and tour a firetruck. Tuition incentives will also be available. Read more

Shoppes At Westgate To Hold Breast Cancer Awareness Event

The Shoppes At Westgate shopping center is holding a special Breast Cancer Awareness Day event all day Thursday, October 23, 2008. There will be giveaways, discounts from various retailers, a raffle, baked goods for sale, and live music from Cross River Band from 5:00-7:00 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from purchased goods will go to Breast Cancer Awareness. Read more

Local Painter To Demonstrate Work At Daily Grind

Take one glance at the work of local artist Paul Steinberg, and you’d no doubt think he practically emerged from the womb with a paintbrush in hand. Steinberg, whose work is featured at the Daily Grind coffeehouse, says his skill did not come naturally. In fact, his initial motives were quite humorous. “When I was young I just liked to draw,” Steinberg explained. “I was never very good, but I just kind of kept at it. In sixth grade, there were two particular guys in the class who were naturally gifted, and the truth of the matter is, I noticed that the girls in the class seemed to hang around the guys who could draw. I thought, this is something that could work! It took me a long time to figure out that it was the guys [they were attracted to], and it had nothing to do with their drawings.”

Steinberg, who started his art career in elementary school, drawing mere stick figures, is a true believer that anyone can become an artist if they take the time to develop their skills. “I’ve talked to a lot of people and they say, ‘Oh, I could never do that.’ Well, first of all you’ve got to want to do it. Just like anything else, you’ve got to put the time into it. But, that being said, if you know how to manipulate a pencil, you’re gonna be able to draw. Painting is just an extension of that. A lot of people have this expectation the first time they start drawing or painting, though, that if they don’t turn into Micheaelangelo in their first effort, then why bother? The truth is, only about five painters in the history of the world have ended up doing [that level of work].”

Many of the artist’s works center around landscapes and city scenes. Rather than taking the approach of sitting with a canvas on location and painting the scene, he takes photographs, and then paints from them. “The great thing about a photograph is it doesn’t move, it doesn’t change, and it becomes very easy to see patterns of shadow and light, and texture and contrast.” He would love to paint on location, but with a career and a family, his time is limited.

Besides landscapes, Steinberg also paints portraits. One of his most complex paintings to date, which he worked on in bits and pieces for over a year, depicts all of the usual customers at the Daily Grind coffeehouse (displayed before completed below). The painting is extremely detailed and captures the individual stories of more than twenty individuals in the coffee shop during a live concert.

Steinberg plans to display his work at a meet-and-greet event at the shop on Saturday, October 25, 2008. He also plans to have a live demonstration of his work, where he’ll work on a painting of one of the Daily Grind baristas. Some of his other new works, which include a series of paintings of the coy ponds at Short Pump Town Center, will also be displayed. The event goes from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Local Rescue Organization To Host Richmond Pit Bull Day

In an effort to educate the public one of the most misunderstood dog breeds, the pit bull, Richmond area organization Misunderstood Pit Bull Rescue will hold Richmond Pit Bull Day this Saturday, October 18, 2008, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Organizers hope to change the public’s image of a breed that has become, all too often, synonymous with violent attacks and headlines, especially following the Michael Vick dog fighting investigation. Read more

School Board To Hold Redistricting Meeting

As Henrico County’s Far West End continues to grow, more new schools are needed to address overcrowding at existing facilities. A new high school, off Staples Mill Road, and a new middle school, off Nuckols Road, are both in the works. Tuesday night, the Henrico County School Board will hold a public meeting at Deep Run High School to let residents give input on the proposed school boundary changes. Read more

Daily Grind To Host Diabetes Rally

Thursday night, September 18, Daily Grind will be host to the American Diabetes Association Step Out Rally. The Brown Haze Project will perform live, there will be a silent auction, and 10% of the proceeds from dinner, drinks, and desserts will be donated to the American Diabetes Association. Owner Sam Jarrar and his wife, Allison, support the association throughout the year. Read more