The art department planning the Best & Worst feature
Like a rite of summer, city magazines across the country do their takes on what makes their region stand out. For some, the editors choose every winner. In others, it’s up to the readers.
When we started the Best & Worst of Richmond in 1988, we were an anomaly —we asked you for things that needed improvement or were just plain bad. We thought readers would enjoy that more, and they have, for 30 years. It’s a bit of a magazine taboo to play up the “Worst” on any cover, but we broke that rule, too.
My favorite categories this year are the ones in which you all recognized businesses and restaurants that have consistently delivered for 30 years (Page 133); the best art and music teachers; and the categories in the opening “Then and Now” section, which our editorial staff weighed in on.
Our art department [above], led by Creative Director Justin Vaughan, took a 1980s theme to the limit. Riffing on a collateral design by Lauren Baldwin, the team let the neon rip through the intricately designed section, laced with nods to classic video games, books and padded-shoulder fashion.
We went “Big” with that theme, too, at our Best & Worst Party July 31 at Triple Crossing Brewing Co. Three bands took us back to the early days of MTV along with plenty of arcade games, mullets and permed hair. Food from 20 of our winning restaurants helped us stay firmly planted in the present.
Our celebrating will be bittersweet as we say a hello and goodbye. We welcome Todd Kliman as a guest editor for the Dining section this month and next. Don’t miss his column on the restaurant Longoven (Page 252) and his interview with Marcus Samuelsson (Page 248).
We also say goodbye to Mark Robinson, our news reporter and assistant editor. I will miss his thoughtful approach to every news feature story he tackled — his desire to tell the story memorably, to make it matter. He is a triple threat: a fine reporter, a solid editor and a gifted writer.
Mark, over at the TD, keep watch on RPS. Students and parents need you.
