Dear Ace: The fact that the UVA honor code started after a student shot a professor is just one of those things you learn as a Charlottesvillian. What’s the deal with that?—Peter Gunn Peter: Hey, Ace doesn’t want to get on any FBI watch lists here, but he’s met a few academics he wouldn’t lose […]
Dear Ace: What’s a good nickname for me? I’ve never had one.—Nick Namor Nick: Sorry, but Ace has never had to suffer the misfortune of coming up with a suitable nickname for himself, as he was born presobriquetted. No Eustace or Cuthbert here; Ace has always been just plain Ace. And let Ace tell you, […]
Dear Ace: What with all the history around here, is there anyone in Charlottesville who does historical re-enactments?—Lee N. Grant Lee: Well, there are those folks over at Ash Lawn-Highland, including a slave re-enactor that is certainly one of the stranger blurrings of the whole re-enactment thing that Ace has ever come across, but Ace […]
Dear Ace: Where’d the bison out in Albemarle County go?—Buffalo Bill Buffalo: Yes, local food-lovin’ Charlottesville has lost some local food. The bison around here have gone the way of the buffalo, as it were. What’s the deal? The 100 or so bison that were here until recently were residents of Georgetown Farm, an operation […]
Dear Ace: I remember going to Ash Lawn when I was younger and seeing a whole colony of peacocks wandering the grounds. I went recently and there were just a few. Where’d they all go?—Courteney P. Cox Courteney: Monticello gets all the love, but Ace has always been partial to James Monroe’s Ash Lawn-Highland. The […]
Dear Ace: Why is Rio Road pronounced “rye-o”? Friends from out of town always look at me funny when I pronounce the thing correctly.—Tom Townie Tom: You see, back in Jefferson’s time, there was a farmer who had some bread. Ace thinks you can guess what its name-o was. Wow, that was terrible. But yes, […]
Dear Ace: Why is Free Union called Free Union? The name seems a little grandiose for what’s sort of a one-horse town, don’t you think?—Crozet T. Robot Crozet: Yeah, sounds kinda like it should be home to a few Montana militiamen, doesn’t it? But Virginia has plenty of weird town names, though a lot of […]
Dear Ace: Who’s that guy who’s always holding book signings in front of CaféCubano?—John Lee Booker John: Wait, you’re telling Ace that’s not John Grisham? No wonder the dude looked unnerved when Ace said, “A Time to Kill” with a knowing wink and walked away. But no, not only is he not Grisham, the mystery […]
Dear Ace: I was crossing the railroad tracks on my way into Farmington Country Club and
Dear Ace, Who’s watching the store? No, I mean literally. Is there a consumer protection officer in the city or county?—Connie Summer Rapport Connie: Let Ace guess: The dry cleaners couldn’t get mustard out of a silk shirt. Or maybe the cashier laughed at you for accidentally ordering a Big Mac at Burger King? Thrift […]