Profile: Getting to know Theo Lever

Theo Lever
Tell us about your family. I was born and raised in Little Rock. I am the child of a single mother who was a very meaningful influence on my life, even now.

What's your mom's name? Loretta Lever. She's the business manager (of Bugabooo), so we work alongside one another. I think it's great to have someone on your team who wants to see you excel and will push you to your potential. She's a pretty strong business lady, so I think I'm pretty lucky. Not to say it doesn't come with challenges, but she's a good mom and a good business partner. I am very blessed to be where I am in my life, and a lot of that comes from having a strong mother. (Moms all over Little Rock are going aww.)

What's your favorite city? I really like the (San Francisco) Bay area. It's great weather, and the people have a diversity, open-mindedness and progressiveness that I value. I love New Orleans.

If you could go on vacation next week, where would you go? I visited Japan a couple of months ago. I'd like to visit Japan again or go to India.

Did you go to Japan to perfect your massage skills or just for fun? Martial arts training. My interest in martial arts, I feel as though it's connected to the healing arts.

What do you like to read? I like to read travel-adventure books, science fiction, fantasy, and books pertaining to health and wellness. Spirituality books.

What do you watch on the tube? I don't watch a lot of TV. I like Treme. It's about post Katrina.

Is there anything you'd like to change about yourself? It seems like I am a little more serious about a lot of things. Once upon a time, I used to be a lot lighter. I'd like to find that again ... have more fun and lightness.

What do you do in your spare time? Yoga, martial arts, meditation, hiking.

Is there anything you'd like to learn how to do? I'd like to learn how to speak Spanish and Japanese. I would like to learn an instrument.

What kind of music do you like? Oh, what do I not like? Lately I've been listening to a lot of electronic trance music. It's very calming. I love jazz. I love hip hop. I love Reggae and rock.

What's your favorite Little Rock restaurant? Boulevard Bread.

Favorite food? Sushi.

If you could have a dinner party and invite any three people, who would you choose? Oprah Winfrey, Lance Armstrong, and Shiva Rea.

What's your favorite thing in your home? I think the most interesting thing I have in my room is a painting that I really love by a local artist, Elizabeth Weber. Every time I look at this painting, I see something new.

This profile was written by Bobbi Nesbitt and appeared in the March 2011 edition of Shoppe Talk.