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DOWN HOME DIVA

When she’s not in the ring, reigning women’s wrestling world champion and WWE Diva Mickie James can be found in her hometown of Richmond, VA, riding her horses, eating sushi and watching the seasons change.

BY CHRISTINA COUCH

Anyone who’s seen WWE RAW knows that Mickie James isn’t just a wrestler—she’s a force you don’t want to reckon with. At 5-feet, 4-inches and 124 pounds of pure spunk, the Richmond native has drop-kicked and body slammed her way to four women’s championship belts and become one of World Wrestling Entertainment’s most popular stars. Though she loves the glamour and jet-setting that comes with her career, James admits that when the cameras are off, she can’t wait to get back home.

You’ve been all over the world with WWE. What keeps you coming back to Richmond? “First of all, Richmond is definitely a growing city, but it’s not too big. I’m in a big city every day when WWE is on the road, so when I come home I just want to unwind and enjoy life. I feel at peace when I’m in Richmond. It has everything that I want. I’m close to my horses, I’m close to the city. I’m two hours from the beach, two hours from the mountains. Virginia is such a beautiful state.”

You sound like an outdoorsy kind of lady. Where do you go to get some fresh air? “The first place I go is to the farm where I board my horses [three Morgans named Rhapsody, Bunny and Casanova]. It’s called Aria (www.ariafarmdressage.com), and it’s right next to a huge state park and there’s about 1,000 acres of land you can just take them through. I normally set aside a whole day to go there… I also love Maymont Park (www.maymont.org). My mother used to take me there when I was little. It’s just beautiful.”

Where do you like to hang out? “I love Carytown(www.carytown.org). There are a lot of fun shops and it’s a great vibe. The Canal Walk is also really cool, and there are so many great restaurants in downtown Richmond.”

What are your top restaurant picks? “I’m kind of simple. I like MoJo’s (www.mojotogo.com; 804-644-6676) just because it’s quick and I’m on the go a lot, but if I want something more upscale, The Tobacco Company Restaurant (www.thetobaccocompany.com; 804-782-9555) always has excellent food and a nice mixture of people. I love to go out for sushi, especially at Kobe Japanese Steak & Sushi (www.kobesteakandsushi.com; 804-643-8080). I love to go places I haven’t tried before rather than go with the same routine. There’s a Brazilian steak house called Texas de Brazil Churrascaria (www.texasdebrazil.com; 804-750-2003) that I’m eager to try.”

What do you like to do for nightlife in Richmond? “I go out and dance downtown once every few weeks just to let loose and hang out. The last few places I’ve been are Cha Cha’s (www.chachascantina.com) and The Lucky Buddha (www.theluckybuddha.com) because that’s where most of my friends go. I like The Lucky Buddha a lot because it’s small and quaint. You get your own space. The Bank (www.bankandvault.com) is really nice as well. It’s a little more upscale.”

Do you see yourself moving back home after you’re done being a Diva? “It would be really hard to get me out of Virginia. It has everything that I’ve ever wanted, and I like the fact that you get all four seasons. You can see the flowers bloom; you can see the leaves change; you can see the snow on the ground. I’m looking to buy a house that has more land so that I can keep my horses at my place. I’d like to be an equine trainer when I’m finished with WWE, and this is such a beautiful state to do it. I love it. I really do.”

Mickie James will appear Sunday, Aug. 17 in WWE’s “SummerSlam” on Pay-Per-View.