Culture Tried It

Tried It in C’ville: Then & Now

The Downtown Mall turns 50 this year. As a transplant to Charlottesville, the Mall has felt so intimately woven into the fabric of this beloved town that it’s hard to imagine a time before its existence. The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society’s exhibition “Then & Now: Charlottesville in the 1970s” allows visitors to time travel back […]

Kristie Smeltzer | June 17, 2026

Culture Tried It

Tried It in C’ville: Intuitive Dry Cutting

What Getting an intuitive dry haircut. Why To have a ’do I love that grows out even better. How it went It’s been sunroof season ever since I got the cut—weather be damned! I arrived at an unassuming row of businesses and found master stylist Lune Wynyard’s workspace nestled in a therapist’s office. The cheery, […]

Kristie Smeltzer | April 15, 2026

Culture

Tried it in C’ville: Glass-blowing at Studio 1050°

What do you give people who have everything—especially if they’re decluttering? Experiential gifts have been the answer to that question for some in my family. We did a paint-n-sip night once andhad a lot of laughs, made memories, and left with our own (kinda) matching piece of art. Studio 1050°, a local flameworking and glass […]

Kristie Smeltzer | December 17, 2025

Culture Entertainment

Tried it in C’ville: Blue Ridge Mountain Maze

While some mourn summer’s passing, I’m dancing in my sweater. These brisk mornings conjure fond memories of attending fall festivals and carving jack-o’-lanterns. Searching for a way to celebrate my favorite season led me to the Blue Ridge Mountain Maze. I’ve wanted to venture through a legit maze ever since seeing Labyrinth in 1986, so […]

Kristie Smeltzer | October 29, 2025

Culture Recreation & Fitness

Heed the call of foam-covered battle

For those of us who grew up dueling with long cardboard tubes from the center of wrapping paper rolls, our days of swordplay needn’t be over. (My nephew dubbed those tubes “DOOT-da-doos” because they also double as instruments.) In my mid-life renaissance, I’ve leaned harder into my weirdo ways. I play Dungeons & Dragons weekly […]

Kristie Smeltzer | September 24, 2025

Culture Living

Healing within and beyond

Living in a college town comes with challenges (think crosswalks on the Corner between classes). It also comes with wonderful benefits, such as access to the expertise and research of renowned faculty members through UVA Lifetime Learning programs. What Participating online in UVA Lifetime Learning’s Meditation, Altered States, and After-Death Communication event. Why Interest in […]

Kristie Smeltzer | June 11, 2025

Arts Culture

Live Arts’ Waterworks is packed with fringy fun

From May 15 through May 31, Live Arts’ third annual Waterworks celebrates new work, while featuring original performances and diverse voices.  “When I describe the festival,” says Live Arts Artistic Director Susan E. Evans, “[I say] it’s Charlottesville’s response to the Fringe. It’s not exactly a fringe festival in some ways, but it has that […]

Kristie Smeltzer | May 21, 2025

Culture Living

Escaping the Dungeon of Fire

Cville Escape Room cvilleescaperoom.com For many of us, the winter doldrums make us particularly susceptible to adventure’s siren song. Answering the call often takes the form of vacations to warmer climes, but for those looking for something less typical (that might be easier on the budget than a full-blown vacation), solving an escape room may […]

Kristie Smeltzer | March 12, 2025