A few years ago, Abhishek Kulkarni was just a guy getting a business degree who dabbled in comedy. Now, he’s a local open mic mainstay who’s learned to work a crowd. “Initially, I was writing a lot of new content for the U.S. audience, so I would go like three weeks of telling the same […]
Ty Cooper defies categorization. As a marketing professional, he’s worked with all manner of companies and in myriad media. As a visual artist, he’s made his mark as an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and designer. Perhaps that’s why Cooper is drawn to short films. “If a person is interested in being a filmmaker, shorts are an […]
St. Anne’s-Belfield School made a splashy hire for its football program this spring, tapping one-time UVA and Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller to replace former head coach Joe Sandoe. Miller, whose career as a Cavalier earned him a first-round pick by Pittsburgh in 2005, was named to the NFL team’s Hall of Honor in […]
After more than a decade of helping high schoolers learn the ins and outs of planting and plowing, Charlottesville High School Urban Farming has gone commercial. The successful program, launched in 2013, isn’t changing its focus on the intersection of agriculture and entrepreneurship. But it is upping the ante by selling its wares. While the […]
Pete Manno is the foremost expert on the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Book Sale. Even before he began running the event for the Friends of JMRL, he was a mega-fan. At one sale, Manno was browsing on the last day after having spent “way too much money” already. He picked up a book by Victoria Woodhull, […]
Southern Development Homes turns 25 this year, and on June 14, the company’s founder and president, Frank Ballif, won Distinguished Builder of the Year from the Home Builders Association of Virginia. Ballif, who prefers to avoid the spotlight, recently spoke to Abode about Southern Development’s longevity, giving back to the community, and the future of […]
Mel Walker wasn’t much for reporters. He was a busy man. When asked to go on the record—about his chicken, one of his trendy new neighbors on West Main Street, or C’ville soul food in general—he’d offer a look that was one part “I don’t have time for that” and two parts “you’ve never written […]
They say everything moves slower in the islands. But that does not include chef Jonathan Wright Jr., who’s been serving Caribbean fusion out of his 434th Street restaurant and catering group since 2020. From his first jobs in fast food, to early mornings at City Market, to long days in a manufacturing plant, Wright’s been […]
Katharine Brooks developed her craft at some of the biggest art houses in New York City. Then, after the fine-art expert and her husband moved to Charlottesville 11 years ago, she took time off to raise a family. Now, she’s back with a new solo venture: KNB Art Advisory. C-VILLE Abode: What made you start […]
The Monticello American Viticultural Area won Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Region of the Year award at the end of 2023, and according to Brantley Ussery, it was not only for the area’s juice, but also for the squeeze. “The things that Wine Enthusiast really liked about our region is the approach, our inclusivity,” says Ussery, director […]