Spotlight on SW Roanoke Laser Cosmetics

One of the things Star City Fame does is showcase various Arts and Entertainment around town. But we also like to tell you about Roanoke's rising businesses and services.

This past week, Hans Moore of Ahhapictures and Ron (that's me) at Star City Fame began a small series of shoots at a Cosmetic Surgery center in SW Roanoke. Kathleen Palmerton-Gorman is the Licensed Master Esthetician performing the Laser Skin Resurfacing in the videos we'll be editing and presenting online.

I have never seen this procedure done before, and was quite nervous about witnessing something that might make me dizzy and faint. (I'm such a wuss.) Well, that never happened. In fact, both the videographers (Hans and I) and the patients had absolutely no problem getting through their short procedure. (Thank heavens!!) If any of you have ever had a tattoo done, that's about how intense it seems, and the patients claim it feels similar to getting a bit of sunburn. Actually, since the patient is given an anesthetizing cream on their skin, it's unfair to compare it to tattoos. There is virtually no pain involved. The few days it takes to heal does resemble having been in the sun, including that peeling process one goes through afterwards. Definitely tolerable.

About Hans - what he likes to do (and you can catch his stuff on YouTube) is show exactly what goes on during laser surgery in a documentary-style way. This helps anyone who is interested in getting laser surgery done for themselves by viewing the procedure from start to finish, as well as the "after" footage (which will be added progressively) on how the patient is healing in the coming days.

Ms Palmerton-Gorman was gracious enough to allow our cameras inside the "operating room" to film all the details - much of it very up-close. Her practice is growing, and this series of shoots will aim to bring awareness to the benefits of having laser cosmetic surgery done for any interested individuals, while answering the many questions potential clients may have just by watching the videos. It will also give you a chance to meet Kathleen and learn about her expertise in the field.

Here are some before and after pictures, courtesy Southwest Virginia Center at http://www.swvacenter.com/



Kathleen's office is at the Southwest Virginia Center on Colonnade Drive in SW County, Roanoke. She will give you a free skin consultation if you contact her (540) 989-6361 or email her at kpalmerton@swvacenter.com.

We're excited for Kathleen and looking forward to presenting her practice on the Star City Fame website as one of our Premier Providers in Roanoke because we enjoy showcasing the awesome business talent in our great Valley!

Upcoming Coverage of The Heart of VA and Earth Day 2009

Earth Day Festivities last Saturday April 18th were held in conjunction with The Heart Of VA Foundation and its Center for the Intergrated Arts along with Grandin Gardens, Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, and other supporters in the Grandin Area of Roanoke.

There were displays of art and sculpture along with the free live music. Amongst some of the vendors were Local Roots Café, Dogtown Pizza, and Star City Coffee.

Leda and I spent the afternoon taking in the live music in the neighborhood and visited with its founders Tommy Edwards and Nancy Hunter. We will have the interview with Tommy posted here within the week or so that Tommy graciously provided for the benefit of educating our blog’s readership on his foundation’s mission.

The Center for Integrated Arts is still in the process of renovating its cottage. The Heart of VA is planning a grand opening, which was moved to a later date to accommodate the completion of its renovations. They are seeking volunteers to give them a hand, which is a great opportunity for many Roanokers to participate in and take pride in their community efforts. We urge you to visit their website for more information on how to be of service.

Here is a listing of artistic programs they offer at:
CENTER FOR INTEGRATED ARTS SPRING 2009 ACTIVITIES
Spring Session runs May 4 - June 6, 2009. Please email nancy@theheartofva.org for a registration form. Registration begins Saturday, April 11, 2009.

Tuesday Nights 6:30-9pm: Slow Jam with Joanne McGowan Slow Jam is open to all, but geared toward less experienced folks. Those with more experience are welcome to share their knowledge. Acoustic instruments, mostly bluegrass & traditional style music. Guitar pickers, fiddlers, banjo & mandolin pickers, upright bass players... come on out to jam! BYO non-alcoholic beverage. There is no activity fee. Donations are accepted.

Wednesday Nights 6-7pm: Theatre as a Healing Art with Vivian Gibbons Through the use of acting exercises and technique we will make our stories come to life. As a group and as individuals we will gain trust in one another and in ourselves. This will allow the release of parts of the self that would have otherwise remained hidden. The end goal is enhancing the ability to express ourselves more fully in daily life. Activity Fee: $15

Saturday Afternoons 1-2p: Children and the Theatre with Vivian Gibbons Children are naturally drawn to movement and story. We will come together as a group to practice beginning theatre technique, acting exercises and stage presence. The main components in this workshop will be improvisation, ‘acting out,’ making faces, and telling our own stories. At the end of the workshop we will have a small performance for friends and family, so they can see our progress. Activity Fee: $15

Please stay tuned for videos of the event. And as always - keep a lookout for us!
See you around Roanoke!!

The Kite Festival was Great!

Were you there??? Leda and I went to this year's Annual Kite Festival at Greenhill Park in Salem, Virginia. We met a lot of wonderful people, saw incredibly beautiful kites, learned about kite-making, and even got some info - like...

Kite flying is an art AND a sport, and that there is actually a kite museum and Hall of Fame for kites (in the state of Washington)!!!

This event was hosted by The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce, and presented by the Richmond Air Force Kite Club and the American Kite Flyers Association. Music during the event was provided by the American Kite Flyers Association as well. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and we were able to shoot just about everything that went on during the day... it was hard to edit out stuff because every minute of it was FUN!!

Well, we'll be back to bring you more events in the Roanoke Valley really soon. It's been a lovely Spring so far and - oh, yes - there are many, many things to do out there!! Come back and join us for more...

11th Annual Kite Festival at Green Hill Park 4/18/09

Blue Ridge Kite Festival

Hi, I am Leda Sapp, the flava of STAR CITY FAME. My partner Ron and I are so excited about attending the 11th Annual Kite Festival this year (presented by the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce). We’ll be there doing some video coverage. This will be Ron’s first time attending the Festival and my third. All three of my experiences at the Kite fest have been awesome. The very first time was the best. I had never been to any Kite festival before that. Green Hill Park has this fabulous huge open air space. When the sun and wind are at its best - the sky above is phenomenal, filled with an array of colorful kites. I remember lying on the blanket and gazing at the sky full of beautifully colored kites and enchanting white clouds. I know I laid there for over an hour. The sounds of children laughing and playing gave me a sense of the past when families spent more time together. This event is the ultimate for great family time for any age, any culture. I believe that every person in the Valley should experience the Kite Fest.

Here are the details for the Kite Festival - courtesy the Chamber’s website:
http://65.169.107.89/Section_Cat_Content_Detail.asp?SID=30&SCAT=43&ID=42

“The skies above Roanoke County’s Green Hill Park will be filled with kites on Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event features free t-shirts and kites for children along with lots of additional kid friendly activities provided by sponsors. This year’s attendance is expected to be over 10,000. So come early and enjoy the entire day.
The Award Winning Richmond Air Force Kite Club will present a colorful and interactive kite show and exhibition during the event, which is sanctioned by the American Kite Flyers Association. A variety of food vendors, arts and craft vendors and activities for children also add to the excitement of the day.
If you would like to be a vendor, sponsor, or need more information, please call the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce office at 540-387-0267.”

Going to the Art By Night Gallery Tour

Every first Thursday of each month, Art by Night sets up a "Gallery Crawl" to showcase Art Galleries in the Downtown Roanoke district. Have you gone to it yet?

In their words, "Art By Night is a unique cultural event that showcases Roanoke’s thriving arts community, featuring the diverse galleries in the historic downtown area. You will find regional, national and international fine art, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, textiles, photography & more. There are opening receptions, demonstrations, refreshments, live music and as much talk about art as you can stand!"

I've been to some of the galleries, yet I have not taken this tour. I love first times!! You can do it by walking, or you can be shuttled about in a complimentary limousine. How neat is that??

Leda Sapp and I will begin a Video series on Art by Night starting with April's tour. It will take us a few trips to get every one in, so check back. We hope to bring you a nice collage of what it's like!

Swing by the Art by Night Gallery Tour this Thursday, April 2nd, by 5pm. Their map shows the first stop as being Cheshire Gallery, 118 W Campbell Ave, SW. (Go to the map/brochure page for the complete list.)

See you there!

Hello and Welcome to Star City Fame

Well, here we go. My name is Ron Bergeron, a long-time musician and songwriter who has had to wear corporate hats for over 3 decades. The past several years took me from my home state up in Central Noizee Joizee to a small and unique Metro area in SW Virginia that looked something like the North Counties of my old state, except the cost of living here is about 1/2 or better in this beautiful Blue Ridge region.

That's my story in a nutshell. I didn't need to roam around much while I was working as an IT consultant, but soon as that project was through, I had to get out of my house a little more often, other than driving to the airport. (By the way, if you've never flown in or out of Roanoke Regional Airport, you have got to do it. It's breath-taking to see the mountains surrounding this valley.)

I had little occasion to run Downtown or go into SW County or to shop at the malls (which I don't really do anyway because I prefer buying from non-chain businesses). Once I got to know a few people and had some things to do about town, I quickly realized that Roanoke had tons more things available for its residents than most of the large cities I've lived in and around in the Tri-State NYC area. How could that be possible???

Obviously, the exception would be Manhattan. Otherwise, the next closest "town" or city I can compare Roanoke to would be something like New Brunswick, NJ... but only because they have a younger university population, the county seat, lively night life, huge medical facilities, arts organizations and a theatre (not a movie-house). The landscape does not have similarities. But as for action, I can go there and not get bored.

Roanoke is working on having its own teaching hospital from what I understand, with Carilion. So, while we have no formal UNIVERSITY, we do have nearby Roanoke College, Virginia Tech, Radford University, and local learning centers like Virginia Western, National College, Roanoke Higher Education Center, and more. We're not slacking in education, and we have major players in Roanoke as far as employment and technology.

To rattle off a few, the Roanoke Valley is home to Norfolk Southern Railroad, Carilion Healthcare, ITT, General Electric, Lewis-Gale Medical, and a host of logistics companies, like FedEx, UPS, and other major common carriers. We have some of the area's best sound local banks. We also have huge financial and insurance institutions. Appalachian Power is one of our biggest energy companies. We have several communications services as well, one being Cox Communications which brings many of us our cable TV, internet and telephone services. I am a customer of theirs, but I am also a long-time customer of Verizon, which continues to be my wireless provider. (Geez, did I just make it sound like... "yep, we got electric.")

Real Estate is what brought me here originally. Home prices compared to the NY-Metro area is a difference that can take you out of a cottage and put you into a brand new golf course mansionette... if you do it right.

What Roanoke shouldn't be lagging in, though, is its young residents. I keep hearing stuff about how we can't hold onto our young people. Young adults leave their roots all over. It's not an uncommon phenomenon. But young people also come back after getting their fill of big-city life. Right now, with the economy being stale everywhere, work is going to depend on education level more than ever, I believe. And Roanoke is not the backward town that some outsiders might mistake it for. Far from it.

YEP. WE GOT ELECTRIC...

Roanoke. Downtown is a place that reminds me of the mid-60's Main Street shopping era. I loved it then, and I love it now. Feels like home to me. I like to shop at stores where I know the owner's name. People are so worried about sales reps remembering their customers' names. Anybody can do that. Do YOU know your shopkeeper's name? How many store owners do you know personally? Have you ever thought they might be residents of your town? That they are not the big-box alterers of the landscape and rather care more about your purchase than how many cheap widgets they can ship in a marine container for a bigger profit?

That's the guy and gal I'm talking about.

Is that classic? Is that somehow "retro?"

I'm thinking, we need to see the forest from the trees. All the global-mindedness ain't gonna happen on some blanket pulled over the earth, even if that blanket is our great friend, the internet. Reach out and actually touch someone, please. Do it often. Get out into the air. Walk, bike, or drive to somebody's real life thing.

Fun happens offline. You can do Meet-up, Twitter, Facebook, and all that, to see what your friends and co-workers are doing... and go. You can peruse The Roanoke Times, City Magazine, The Roanoker, whatever, for what's going on out there... and go.

Go. Go. Go.

Get out and do something because there's TONS OF STUFF TO DO ALL OVER ROANOKE!!Free stuff. Group stuff. Alone stuff. Volunteer stuff. Participation stuff. Creative stuff. Sit and watch stuff. Walk, bike, hike stuff. Cruise-around in your car stuff. Sports stuff. Kids stuff. Senior stuff. Civic stuff. Shopping stuff. Entertainment stuff. Learn-how-to-do stuff. Crafts stuff. Mentor stuff. Food stuff. Party stuff. Teach stuff.

And events galore!!! I had no idea how many events go on in the Greater Roanoke Valley, from Downtown Street festivals to Regional Music festivals. So if you are not sure where to go or to find out what's going on - definitely click on any of the linked words here in this post. And come on back to the Star City Fame blog so you can find out more about events and organizations (to get you going) in this l'il old town that isn't so little.

Okay, that's it for now. I just wanted to share with you how much I really dig being a resident (and taxpayer since it helps make this the city and county it is) of Roanoke...

And now that Star City Fame is getting rolling, you'll see some more stuff back here to give ya's a well-rounded idea about this multi-faceted Valley.

PS - The flowers are blooming!!!