Unbound

A change of landscape: For some garden variety, get out of town

Between Shenandoah National Park, Ivy Creek and Ragged Mountain (among others), there are (seemingly) more than enough natural attractions in our area. But we can’t overlook Charlottesville’s proximity to other noteworthy nature spots. Here are three we’re crossing off our list this season. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden 1800 Lakeside Ave. (Richmond) This living museum offers […]

Caite Hamilton | April 24, 2018

Unbound

Suit up: Yama Mountain brings the gear here

Born from conversations with hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2006, local gear company Yama Mountain combines founder Gen Shimizu’s love of designing and making with his appreciation for the outdoors. “Yama is the result of those passions coming together,” he says. The company’s products, which range from tarps and tents to rain mitts […]

Caite Hamilton | April 24, 2018

Knife & Fork

Cook and learn: Chef Antwon Brinson forges community through food

If the goal of Common House, the city’s private social club, is to help convene like-minded creatives, then it’s no wonder Antwon Brinson had been in its kitchen since the opening last spring. “Food for me has always been something that brought people together,” says the club’s executive chef. Originally from Niagara Falls, New York, […]

Caite Hamilton | March 28, 2018

Abode Magazines

Smooth transition: Swivel chairs offer smarter décor options

It’s an open concept world and we’re just living in it. And while the kitchen-living-dining layout creates accessibility (and visibility), it’s a challenge to decorate. John Kriebel, a designer at The Artful Lodger, has a solution: swivel chairs. “I use them as a great connector for entertaining,” he says. “You have two places guests and […]

Caite Hamilton | March 7, 2018

Abode Magazines

Community building: A longtime dream of building a home reno business prompted Brian and Andrea Hubbell to launch HubbHouse

Don’t call Brian and Andrea Hubbell flippers. Even though they admit what they’re doing sounds a lot like that, the husband-and-wife team behind HubbHouse think they can come up with a better term, one that conveys their more thoughtful approach. “We’re definitely not a quick-flip company,” says Brian. “Quality is really important and the process […]

Caite Hamilton | March 7, 2018

Magazines Weddings

Feeling fancy: A glittering Franco-American union

An American bride, a French groom and a love so nice, they celebrated twice. The first wedding, a springtime fête in Saint-Malo, France, was “classic Hollywood, red carpet glam,” says Arnita. The second, a mid-summer affair at Keswick Vineyards, channeled the 2017 Christian Dior bridal couture collection—“cocktail glam, sequins and luxe materials.” “I wanted it […]

Caite Hamilton | January 25, 2018

Magazines Weddings

Personal statements: An at-home wedding with serious style

A repurposed Dairy Queen sign signaled to guests that they’d arrived at the right place—Finnson Oaks, the bride’s childhood home. Just as it was important to include a nod to the family business (the Petersons have owned Dairy Queens since the 1950s), Laura couldn’t have seen getting married anywhere other than the house she grew up […]

Caite Hamilton | January 25, 2018

Magazines Weddings

Handmade, with love: DIY details add to an elegant affair

Some DIY weddings can turn embarrassing, with an overwhelming amount of detail or disjointed aesthetic choices or—yikes!—décor slowly unraveling and coming unglued. This is none such wedding, thanks to the clear vision of the grooms, who from the start decided on a visual theme, which was simple and elegant, and committed to planning their big […]

Caite Hamilton | January 25, 2018