Mariana Bell had a divergent pandemic experience from most musicians. Ask any songwriter, or any creative person for that matter, and most will say they experienced heightened inspiration during the C-word era. Not Bell. And she’s okay with that. That’s her journey. A longtime singer-songwriter who’s now a mother of two small children, Bell found […]
You wasted your summer streaming Netflix. That’s okay. The area’s fall fests are just what you need—they’ll get you outside, where you’ll enjoy some crisp air and boost your vitamin D for the winter months. Here’s a look at 11 autumn events that are sure to keep you going until the temps plummet. Charlottesville-Albemarle Black […]
John Freeman has found his home in the booth. The career play-by-play announcer and UVA grad returned to Charlottesville to become the “voice of the Cavaliers” for the men’s football and basketball teams last November. He’d been the primary commentator for several university sports—lacrosse and even some men’s basketball—years ago, but he’d never spoken for […]
The team behind Junction, the Southwest-style Belmont restaurant that closed in 2020, has launched another eatery in the same space, but new patrons can expect anything but the same old. The new resto goes by the name Mockingbird and serves up Southern comfort. Head chef Melissa Close-Hart worked with long-time collaborators Michelle Moshier, Matthew Hart, […]
Ruth Chiari and Phil Simon wanted a modest single-family home close to amenities when they moved to Charlottesville. But with nothing on the market befitting the couple, they shifted focus to a single-bedroom apartment—with plenty of clever renovations. “I wanted something that gave me a feeling of space and light,” Chiari says. “We were also […]
Charlottesville residents could easily sell their homes without staging 10 years ago. Now, most buyers expect every detail to be covered, from fastidious interior designto meticulous landscaping, according to local realtor Lorrie Nicholson. “Staging allows people to visualize themselves in the home and helps create an emotional connection,” Nicholson says. “From my experience, you always […]
She’s a six-time Grammy nominee who’s coming off a buzzy cinematic debut playing Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. So why isn’t Yola, who’ll take the Jefferson Theater stage with her band on September 17, a household name? A few answers come to mind when talking to the self-proclaimed “genre-fluid” British songstress. First, she’s […]
Who is the Pie Guy? In a sense, it’s Keith Groomes who’s always been destined for the role. Groomes started working with the original Pie Guy, Justin Bagley, in 2015. Bagley then sold the business—at the time a well-known food cart on the farmers’ market, festival and Downtown Mall lunch circuits—to cattleman Rob Harrison. Harrison […]
When you’re ready to upgrade your downriver rambling, proceed directly to the James River Batteau Co. “This is the Cadillac tour of the James River,” Company co-founder Will Smith says. “If you want to float with a big bunch of friends, this is the most comfortable way to go.” Batteaux (batteau’s Francofied plural) are flat-bottomed […]
When Edgar Lara moved to Charlottesville 10 years ago, he soon learned two things. One, the Latinx community was isolated. Two, a tiny, brand new local organization, Sin Barreras, was on a mission to change that. Lara, now the organization’s executive director, first connected with Sin Barreras and founder Fanny Smedile at its flagship event, […]