The best of the fests: 21 events to kick off your fall fantastic

The Festy Experience Friday, October 5 to Sunday, October 7 Devils Backbone Brewery (200 Mosby’s Run, Roseland) Every music festival has an identity of its own. Names like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Bumbershoot, and Coachella may have been head scratchers at first, but now they’re branded destination festivals where dozens of acts spread out across multiple stages […]

Fruit of the vine: Wine events for the week of September 10

Afton Mountain Afton Mountain After Hours Saturday, September 22: Dallas Wesley and Band (6-9pm) (540) 456-8667 www.aftonmountainvineyards.com Barboursville Vineyard Italian Harvest Feast Saturday, September 22 at 1pm: Enjoy a traditional five course feast paired with Barboursville wines, prepared by Guest Chefs Cesare Lanfranconi, formerly of Washington’s Café Milano, Tosca, and Spezie, and Shannon Overmiller of […]

Free Will Astrology: September 4-10

Virgo (August 23-September 22): I’ll bet that a-ha! experiences will arrive at a faster rate than you’ve seen in a long time. Breakthroughs and brainstorms will be your specialty. Surprises and serendipitous adventures should be your delight. The only factor that might possibly obstruct the flow would be if you clung too tightly to your […]

Small Bites: This week’s restaurant news

Moving haus The transformation of the Random Row and Sweethaus building into a Marriott is in the offing, but fear not, cupcake-lovers. Tara Koenig’s moving her halcyon days-inspired sweets shop to the old Charlottesville Tire space at 843 W. Main St. It’s bigger (3,000 square feet to be exact!) and better (a new HVAC system […]

Free Will Astrology: August 28-September 3

Virgo (August 23-September 22): In the creation myths of Easter Island’s native inhabitants, the god who made humanity was named Makemake. He was also their fertility deity. Today the name Makemake also belongs to a dwarf planet that was discovered beyond the orbit of Neptune in 2005. It’s currently traveling through the sign of Virgo. […]

Charlottesville arborist gets international honor

Rob Springer has been climbing trees his whole life. As an arborist, he’s been doing it professionally for the last 30 years. A certified arborist with Bartlett Tree Experts, Springer was honored for his work earlier this month by the International Society of Arboriculture. The Stanardsville resident was one of five arborists (including one from […]

Fruit of the Vine: August 28

Barboursville Season Reveal When: Sunday, September 9 at 5:30pm. www.barboursvillewine.com Virginia Opera presents The Season Reveal, the opening event for our 2012-13 season. An intimate private concert with the principal artists of Virginia Opera’s 2012-13 production of The Pearl Fishers. Reception and three-course dinner by Palladio Restaurant’s Executive Chef, Melissa Close Hart, with wine pairings […]

Small Bites: This week’s restaurant news

Colonial locavores If you think our country’s founding foodies are the only ones with their own shows on the Food Network, think again. Tuesday, August 28, from 6-8:30pm, head to Monticello’s West Lawn for a conversation with Dave DeWitt, author of The Founding Foodies: How Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin Revolutionized American Cuisine. For the $60 […]