Caite Hamilton, Author at C-VILLE Weekly

Real Charlottesville wedding: Chris & Michael

Christopher Matvey & Michael O’Connor July 30, 2016, at Veritas Vineyard & Winery Photography by Tom Daly Classic, elegant and timeless: That was the goal of the wedding. So Christopher and Michael chose a white and gold color scheme with black accents. Inspired by The Great Gatsby movie, the couple asked Blue Ridge Floral Design for […]

Caite Hamilton | July 20, 2017

Magazines Weddings

Real Charlottesville wedding: Katie & Halston

Katie Brazeal & Halston Kirkpatrick July 2, 2016, at Blue Ridge Farm Photography by Jen Fariello Once they decided on a location and date, they fully embraced the “summer” theme: “Blue was a defining color,” Katie says. “We created an atmosphere that was more on the informal side, while still being very wedding-appropriate. And we […]

Caite Hamilton | July 20, 2017

Magazines Weddings

Say what you mean to say: Need assistance with vows? There’s help for that

One day last winter, Cathy Stapleton attended a wedding. Everything was, as she puts it, painstakingly planned (“even the weather cooperated”). But when it came time for the wedding toasts, things spun out of control. “The best man gave a lengthy speech that started out fairly amusing but went off the rails rather quickly with […]

Caite Hamilton | July 20, 2017

Magazines Weddings

Illuminate me: Use lighting to change your space

“Rustic elegance,” says Blue Ridge AV & Lighting’s Bill Randall, is the style Charlottesville couples are most interested in right now. But how does that translate to lighting? And what if you want a lighting feature but don’t want it to overwhelm your overall aesthetic? We asked Randall to give us three ideas. 1. Café/bistro […]

Caite Hamilton | July 20, 2017

Abode Magazines

Hunt and gather: Set the scene with an artful arrangement

Coco Chanel supposedly once said that, before leaving the house, one should look in the mirror and take off a piece of jewelry. The same goes for the house itself, says designer Jan Roden, when it comes to vignetting. “What I would call vignetting,” she says, “is good accessorizing. Accessories can be anything from a […]

Caite Hamilton | July 7, 2017

Knife & Fork Magazines

Stacks on stacks on stacks: Keevil & Keevil’s bringing back a fan favorite

When Brookville Restaurant shuttered in December 2016, Southern food-lovers the town over wept into the last bite of their zucchini short stacks, which had been on the menu since the restaurant’s opening in 2010. The summer dish became Brookville’s bestseller, so chef/owner Harrison Keevil knew he’d need to put it back on the menu at […]

Caite Hamilton | June 29, 2017

Knife & Fork Magazines

The last bite: Split decision

It may not look like anything fancy, but the old-school banana split at Chandler’s Ice Cream (that throwback soft-serve stand by the Tractor Supply store on River Road) is a summertime must-have. Served in a styrofoam container, it’s two bananas, split down the middle and piled high with ice cream, whipped cream, walnuts, pineapple and […]

Caite Hamilton | June 27, 2017

Knife & Fork Magazines

The art of food: Pearl Island’s Javier Figueroa-Ray on cooking and creativity

Writer, playwright, counselor—chef Javier Figueroa-Ray has worn many hats. But, to hear him tell it, cooking and poetry aren’t that different. “When I moved to the mainland, my writing muse stopped and I began cooking,” he says. “I remembered all of my family cooking and began incorporating that into the ingredients available to me in […]

Caite Hamilton | June 27, 2017

Abode Magazines

Through the looking glass: Mirrors might be your secret weapon for decorating

There’s a mythical element to mirrors, says interior designer Alana Woerpel, that’s very intriguing. “Some cultures believe that mirrors hold powers over our souls. Hence, a vampire without a soul has no reflection,” she says. “The queen in Snow White had a magic mirror. Alice fell into an alternate world beyond the looking glass. It’s […]

Caite Hamilton | June 9, 2017

Magazines Village

Summer VILLAGE: Say cheese! How to get the senior portrait you really want

Gone are the days of a simple cap-and-gown shot. A senior portrait in 2017 means a photo that’s personal, creative and authentic. “The senior portrait is one of those historical visual documents that we come to treasure later in life,” says photographer Jen Fariello. “[It’s] become so much more real and I think that really […]

Caite Hamilton | May 23, 2017