Culture Food & Drink

Michael Ketola

Michael Ketola Chef and general managerMas Tapas, mastapas.com A steak in the biz Without formal training, I entered the world of professional cooking in 1996, when some college friends from JMU mentioned that the steakhouse they worked at was looking for a cook. So, eager to try something new (and not move back home) I […]

Tami Keaveny | April 26, 2023

Culture Food & Drink

Rachel Pennington

Rachel Pennington Owner: The Pie Chest, thepiechestcville.com A spirit of togetherness “I cook because I have to. I have no other choice. Deep within me resides the desire to please others through a soul-level-comforting pleasing of the palate.  “Therein is the secret to a good life. Eating, drinking, and being merry. Through this we commune […]

Tami Keaveny | March 8, 2023

Arts Culture

Meet Virginia

Fun comes first for Kendall Street Company. That’s not to say, though, that the quintet isn’t serious about musicianship. The lineup, Louis Smith (rhythm guitar/lead vox), Brian Roy (bass), Ryan Wood (drums), Ben Laderberg (lead guitar), and Jake Vanaman (sax/keys), is stacked with talent (the group covers the Grateful Dead, The Beatles, Alanis Morrisette, DEVO, […]

Tami Keaveny | February 8, 2023

Arts Culture

David Crosby is still speaking out against the madness

David Crosby passed away on January 19, 2023. In tribute, we are reposting our interview with him, originally published May 30, 2018. Naming someone a “voice of a generation” may be cliché, but when applied to David Crosby, there’s nothing trite about it. After founding The Byrds with Roger McGuinn in 1964, he left to […]

Tami Keaveny | January 19, 2023

Culture Food & Drink

Why do you cook?

Ian Rynecki  Executive Chef: Easton Porter Group, eastonporter.com Culinary training: Hands-on, in restaurants  Reward “When I began my career as a cook during freshman year of college, there were not many work options available in the evening except for restaurants. “My first job was in a Burlington, Vermont, sushi restaurant where the focus was on […]

Tami Keaveny | January 11, 2023

2022 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

Standing tall

Charlottesville’s Tree Commission works with the Parks & Recreation Department to protect and improve the urban forest as a natural resource for our quality of life. The commission comprises 10 members plus the city’s urban forester, a planning commission representative, and one member of the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards. Tree preservation is critical to climate […]

Tami Keaveny | August 24, 2022

2022 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

Hoo thinks they can dance?

While some of us were binge watching and baking, the UVA dance team HooRaas spent thousands of hours perfecting the synchronization, expressions, energy, themes, costumes, and dozens of other elements necessary to compete at the Raas All-Stars competition in Dallas on April 16. The national collegiate dance competition has soared in popularity after forming in […]

Tami Keaveny | August 24, 2022

Arts Culture

Peace by piece

It goes without saying that a quilting judge must have a sharp eye for details, but there’s more to it than that. Sure, “things like originality, consistency in the length of quilting stitches, square corners, levelness in hanging, and matching points (joints of fabric) play into awards,” says Linda Boone, chair of the Charlottesville Area […]

Tami Keaveny | April 6, 2022

Arts Culture

They’re back!

The Virginia Film Festival announced a full return to in-person movie viewing for its 34th annual fest, which will be held October 27-31. Jody Kielbasa, UVA’s vice provost for the arts and director of the festival, says the VAFF will offer more than 85 films and host an extensive lineup of live discussions. Special guests […]

Tami Keaveny | September 29, 2021

2021 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

Side by side

Sometimes it’s a side dish that makes a place special. That’s the case with Otto Turkish Street Food’s rosemary fries. The menu is loaded with good stuff, but it’s the long slim cut of yellow potato, fried to a crispy gold exterior and dusted with a palate-pleasing mixture of salt and minced fresh rosemary, that […]

Tami Keaveny | August 25, 2021