THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 12, 1996 TAG: 9601120037
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALICIA LUMA, TEENOLOGY ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
IN THE PAST few months, I have noticed a resurgance of a certain activity among local teenagers. Some say that it never slacked off, but most people I've talked to who are fans of this way to while away the time agree that the frequency of this event has very recently greatly increased.
Ah, yes. The magical, mystical ``road trip.''
Lots of things can spark a road trip. Sometimes it's a yearning to see a new place or a favorite band in a faraway city. Sometimes it's a shopping trip or it may be just to prove that you can get from here to D.C. and back on $50 and some Fritos.
My first trip was to D.C. We took the subway thing to Foggy Bottom and walked the couple of hundred blocks to Georgetown. The biggest hazard there was the buying of piddling stuff I didn't need. The only things I still have that I bought there are a Cure shirt, a pair of suede Doc Martens and a used Echo and the Bunnymen tape.
And I spent a lot of money.
The next trip, I think, was to New Hope, Penn. We went to Pennsylvania as kind of a vacation, but going to New Hope was my deal. It's this old town where hippies went when they stopped following the Dead.
I'm sure there has been a population surge since Jerry died.
Anyway, there were all these weird little stores, the best by far being Love Saves the Day which sells everything from old Star Wars action figures and vintage dresses to fake plastic body parts.
I've also road tripped to Boston, Mass., and Louisville, Ky., which was very cool, in a sterile sort of way. Uniquely uniform, I guess.
Anyhow, I know that most parents won't let you breeze out the door with a backpack and a car full of friends with only a ``goin' to Jersey, see you in a week,'' as explanation (and I don't suggest that you even try to pull that one off). So take your sights off the bigger cities and concentrate on the little bit of big city sparkle about 100 miles down the road, less than two hours from South Hampton Roads.
The city of Richmond is enough to appease the road hungry and is a good start for an amateur. Richmond has really good shows and lots of coffeehouses and cafes. And it's not hard to find.
A joy and pain of road trips is getting lost, but to get to Richmond just get on I-64 going west and follow the green signs.
The following list of places to go may fill the agenda for a one- or two-day road trip, so if you plan on chillin' longer than the weekend, you will have to find other stuff to do. But then again that's half the fun.
Twisters, 929 W.Grace St., 353-4263, hours vary show to show.
Twisters is a club with no sign. We passed it three times when we were looking for it - the most eye-blink little place I've ever seen. Once inside though, the motif is cool - metal canopylike booths and a wall of promo photos where you can while away hours picking out your favorite bands. It is most often 21-and-over, but they do have all-ages shows which start in the late afternoon and early evening. In fact, there's one this Friday. Call for details.
Village Cafe, 1001 W.Grace St., 353-8204, open 8:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
I've never been to the Village, but I drove by it a few times. I called my friend Darrin who hangs out there. He said that the Village is just a average little coffee shop but they have neat-o artwork and you can probably meet a few cool people there. Sounds ah-groo-vay.
Exile/World of Mirth, 822 W.Grace St., 358-3348. Hours vary.
Painted bright yellow and red, with bones, skulls and sticks as deco, this place even looks like it has a split personality. There are two stores contained in the same building. One is Exile, which carries Doc Martens and Gladiators (ultra-chic European shoes), vintage clothing and other trendy alt-fashion statements. World of Mirth has vintage housewares and toys and cool old books and postcards as well. Check it out, I'm sure you'll find something.
Gumbo Ya-Ya, 2223 W.Main St., 358-9292, opens 4:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day except Sunday, when it opens at 11 a.m. for brunch. Kitchen closes at 11 p.m.
As you probably know we only get the barest hint of deep Southern culture up here, so I personally was delighted to hear of this shiny little restaurant plucked straight out of New Orleans.
They specialize in cajun and creole cuisine and are ``one of the few restaurants north of Louisiana who know how to cook crawfish'' according to Bob Cox, co-owner of Gumbo Ya Ya. The prices are reasonable and the colors and attitude of the place are very Mardi Gras.
Plan 9, 3002 W.Cary St., 353-9996, open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Yes, it is named after the Ed Wood movie. Yes, it is the best music store in the known universe. No, it is not a new-fangled deal, it's been around for 14 years. And yes, if ``The Smurfs Sing the Beach Boys'' ever came out on CD they probably have it.
And by the way, Plan 9 is in the middle of a cool Richmond shopping district called Carytown and, to drop a few names, go to By-gones, Luxor and Mongrel. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos by Alicia Luma
Some places to see in Richmond: Twisters, left, is cool. Here,
Jairemi Rodgers and Joe Turner of Sweet Nectar takes a break. Exile,
above, carries trendy alt-fashion statements.
ALICIA LUMA
Twisters has a wall of promo photos where you can spend hours
picking out your favorite bands.
by CNB