Fresh eyes

When Haitian American art collector and curator Jeanremi Verella first encountered the Sen Soley art collective during a residency in Port-Au-Prince, he knew he had to bring the artists to America. But he quickly learned that strict visa quotas made this nearly impossible. So he brought their artwork instead. Sen Soley is a Haitian art […]

Now serving

Alicia Walsh-Noel is no stranger to a career pivot. Seven years ago, she left her cubicle job to start as a busser at Zocalo. And in 2018, while working at Brasserie Saison, she approached Will Richey with an offer to run the marketing for his restaurant group.  “My background is a potpourri of photography, communications, […]

PICK: Magic City Hippies

Summer breeze: Like the turquoise sparkle in a backyard pool or the gritty glimmer of oceanside city lights, the music of Magic City Hippies perfectly captures that drowsy, summertime vibe. Hailing from Miami, the trio creates a dreamy haze with lonesome slide guitars, vintage organs, and languid, sun-drenched vocals. The band’s restrained cool can be […]

PICK: Fargo

The Coen Brothers put the cold in cold-blooded murder with their 1996 dark comedy Fargo. Set during a snowy Minnesota winter, the film stars Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, and William H. Macy as amateur criminals who bungle their way through a kidnapping. And Frances McDormand, with a memorable Midwestern accent, won an Oscar for her […]

PICK: Brian Elijah Smith

Heart for home: With 1,000 songs to his name, award-winning singer-songwriter Brian Elijah Smith gained overdue recognition when the title track on his 2019 release In Through the Dark was used in the Netflix series “Virgin River.” Smith, who has played stages around the globe, celebrates his latest album, Apocalyptic Blues, with a regional solo […]

Sweet dreams

By Alana Bittner, Brielle Entzminger, Will Ham, Ben Hitchcock, and Susan Sorensen It’s been one heck of a sweltering summer. The best way to beatthe heat? Ice cream, gelato, popsicles…you name it. Lucky for us,Charlottesville’s got more than its share of frozen delicacies.   Chaps It’s hard to be grumpy when your hand’s wrapped around a […]

Farm and fleet

City Market-goers know where they oughta get empanadas. Julio Quispe’s Pachamama Peru offers some of the market’s best prepared eats, and his baked and fried Peruvian pies, filled with local meats and veggies, are the standout. But empanadas are only the beginning—not only of the menu at Pachamama, but of what Quispe does for the […]

Dead ahead

By Jedd Ferris Joe Russo juggles a lot of projects. The versatile drummer, a fixture on the New York City jazz and jam scenes, is an in-demand studio player and a prolific live collaborator. When reached by phone in late July, he was preparing to play two different sets at the renowned Newport Jazz Festival, […]

Swine time

Pig R, 92 minutesViolet Crown Cinema Sometimes the beauty of a film lies in its simplicity. When character development and atmosphere are allowed to be front and center, the strength of cinema as an art comes into focus. With a few missteps, Pig is a beautiful example of earnest filmmaking. In short, the film, written […]

Sound choices

McKinley Dixon For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her Spacebomb Records As one of the year’s most important releases, McKinley Dixon’s Spacebomb Records debut rounds out a trilogy of albums that were five years in the making. The Richmond-based artist’s first two albums, Who Taught You to Hate Yourself? (2016) and The Importance […]