Rayvon Owen bounds into the green room backstage at Altria Theatre during rehearsals for SPARC’s Live Art: Love show, held earlier this summer. Grammy award-winning artist Jason Mraz and the show’s choreographer get swept up in the whirlwind and ask the singer if he’ll join in a tap routine. Caught…

Brendan Easter of Midlothian was about seven years old when he discovered the world of speedcubing and eight when he got bit by the theatre arts bug. The two passions collided when Brendan brought his cubes to a CharacterWorks play rehearsal to keep busy between scenes. His mom, Shannon Easter,…

Funny story. Not funny ha-ha, funny stupid. For years, I lived about fifty minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge. I walked the wide, inviting paths overlooking the sparkling San Francisco Bay twice. I toured Alcatraz once. I might have ridden a trolley, but I don’t remember. I ate in Chinatown…

I remember a life in the not-so-distant past when my children were my constant companions. Their grubby-palmed grips and lap-time chats bound us together. But like hourglass sands, my companions are steadily slipping away. Some days, our quality time is reduced to a quick dinner, and our chats consist of…

The summer of 1986 meant riding my Schwinn Thrasher eight blocks to Lafayette Pharmacy where I cashed in my nickels for a bag of assorted Jolly Ranchers. The loot cost me $1.67, and the trip took a solid twenty minutes of pedaling hard without any hills. With only one gear,…

Time to get those summer bucket list items finished up! There are tons of ideas in this issue of RFM, including some tips for connecting with your teens from this month’s Real Mom (page 24), and a slew of RVA staycation ideas from one of our favorite travel writers, Wendy…

Here’s a question for you: In the never-ending merry-go-round of work-life balance, why is work always the bad guy? My business partner Lauren recently raised this important question on a Tuesday when her work life trumped her home life in a big way. It was a body-slam of sorts because her wins at work were…

By 1872, the narrow strip of land between the James River and Church Hill was too crowded with development to allow easy passage for goods. That’s when work began on a tunnel so cargo could be moved quickly between Shockoe Bottom and the deepwater terminal which provided waterborne access to…

We don’t usually associate the phrase “history repeats itself” with illness, but sometimes diseases we thought were ancient history – or at least so uncommon they slide off the radar – make a sneaky comeback. Here’s a look at four diseases you might think were left in the past, but…

Let’s start with a challenge. For the next week, informally log how much time you spend on screens at home and at work. For the purpose of this challenge, let’s categorize screens as televisions, computers, phones, and tablets (iPads, etc.). During the workweek, I spend at least ten hours a day…

Newspaper clippings, photo collages, and resource flyers cover the hallways of The McShin Foundation in Henrico. It’s apparent this is not a typical treatment center with a clinical feel. There is a homey authenticity to the building and to the staff. One by one, participants gather into the group room,…

There is no denying that our pets are an important part of our families. We post cute pictures of them on social media. We research ingredients to provide them with the best pet food. We enjoy talking to them, playing with them, and cuddling them. And we often feel guilty…

We had some fertility challenges and used donors (egg and sperm) for both our children. Consequently, our two kids – ages three and almost five – look nothing like me or my husband. Body type, hair color, eye color – basically, there are no common physical characteristics between us or…

Immigration is in the news frequently, but some of the information can be confusing or contradictory. Let’s explore some of the terminology that’s being used as we continue to evaluate a system that is affecting so many families and businesses across the country. Immigration Enforcement United States Citizenship and Immigration…

When it comes to changing the look of a room, a homeowner’s first instinct is usually to repaint. Paint can be inexpensive, and often, it seems like a do-it-yourself job. But maybe it’s time to reconsider wallpaper – in all its forms. Thanks to increased options in materials, designs, and…