Abode Magazines

Home sweet test drive? It’s this local firm’s business model

Have you ever wished that you could test drive a home? Or that you could hire someone to move in and get the first-time kinks out? Meet Mike and Isobel Sadler of Charlottesville Area Builders. Charlottesville Area Builders is a third-generation design/build business now in its fourth decade. Mike found his Marine Corps background in […]

Carol Diggs | February 12, 2025

Abode Magazines

Honoring both sides of Charlottesville

Visitors come to Charlottesville to explore its long history and enjoy its thriving contemporary culture. So why not stay somewhere that offers a taste of both? That’s the ethos behind the Jefferson Guest House, a newly renovated 1920s residence in the heart of downtown.  Owner Reid Nagle wanted to renovate the building as a short-term […]

Carol Diggs | February 12, 2025

Magazines Weddings

Local event firm makes your wedding truly yours

If you think the devil is in the details, you’re not alone: Local events rental firm Eventide strongly agrees. For your special day, these folks want the décor, from bowers to umbrellas, to fit your vision. Whether it’s tables and chairs, linen, cutlery and glassware, service trays, or tents, the firm provides a range of […]

Carol Diggs | November 6, 2024

Magazines Weddings

Considering a destination wedding?

Choosing a life partner is a really big decision. Having a wedding, on the other hand, is a hundred smaller ones. And for many couples, the primary decision is ‘where?’ Which brings up the question of a destination wedding—how do you decide? “The first question is, why are you thinking of a particular destination?” says […]

Carol Diggs | November 6, 2024

Culture Living

Two horse-lovers mobilize social media to save animals from slaughter

Colby’s Crew started with one horse and one decision from the heart. Colby, a 4-year-old chestnut stallion with white markings, had run out of options. Allison (Ally) Smith, an experienced equestrian studying nursing and training horses on the side, saw an online post about him: “Bound for slaughter. Needs experienced handler.” “He was flashy and […]

Carol Diggs | October 16, 2024

Abode Magazines

Local couple makes their eco-dream home—literally

Daniel and Meghan Edwards dreamed of building their own home. As committed environmentalists, they wanted it to be both livable and sustainable. Their budget was minimal, their commitment unwavering, and after almost 10 years, they have settled outside Stanardsville on their own little patch of land—in a home built of earth. “It’s is the first […]

Carol Diggs | October 9, 2024

Abode Magazines

Father and son are reclaiming the craftsmanship of the past

When Peter Hunter was growing up in Cismont, his father would take him out driving along the back roads in the Southwest Mountains, where the young boy felt drawn to the old derelict houses scattered through those woods and fields. Years later, Peter took his son Blake along on his drives through the Blue Ridge […]

Carol Diggs | October 9, 2024

News

Local women’s rugby club takes off

It’s late afternoon on a soccer field, at the tail end of summer. The sinking sun is casting long shadows, and the last of the mosquitoes are homing in on anything with blood. But the women on the field don’t notice the little buzzers; they’re concentrating on their drills.  Running, passing, tackling—but this game is […]

Carol Diggs | October 2, 2024