Stretching the canvas

“One of the best things about collaborating with another artist is I learn a great deal about the other person’s sensibility to materials, aesthetics, and mark making,” says artist Diego Sanchez. His work is currently on view at the Quirk Gallery, together with fellow Richmonder Mary Scurlock. In “Conversations,” each artist has eight paintings on […]

December galleries

Baker Gallery Walker Fine Arts Center, Woodberry Forest School. “New Works,” landscape paintings featuring scenes from Charlottesville by Richard Crozier. Through December 31. First Fridays reception. The Center at Belvedere 540 Belvedere Blvd. A small-works open exhibit featuring over 30 artists, including Meredith Bennett, Susan Trimble, Joan Griffin, Frannie Joseph, and Judith Ely. Through December […]

Exquisite taste

Ask Alicia Simmons about her happiest childhood memories, and she immediately recalls the many hours spent in the kitchen with her twin sister and grandmother at the family’s farm in the Shenandoah Valley. “We made lunch for dad and grandpa every day,” says Tavola’s executive chef. “That’s how I fell in love with cooking.” Growing […]

Savoring the seasons

A menu is a canvas for Executive Chef Alicia Simmons, who presents Through the Seasons, a thoughtfully crafted dining experience, every three to four months at Tavola. The seasonal one-day-only dinner is filled with the restaurant’s recent daily specials, prepared in collaboration with chef de cuisine Kendall Moore. Simmons typically handles the dessert course, while […]

Byrd’s-eye view

Charlottesville-based wellness guru Renee Byrd was a successful influencer before being an influencer was cool.  Byrd launched her blog, Will Frolic for Food, in 2012. The goal was to “provide free tools for living well … recipes, advice, yoga videos, and entertainment to sensitive souls.” In a few short years, she was working part-time hours […]

Better with friends

Blenheim Vineyards taps Fine Creek Brewing Company for new release There’s nothing that forges stronger bonds and solidifies friendships quite like collaboration. Whether combining resources, such as different raw materials, or providing an area of individual expertise, it’s exciting to work as a team to produce a new or better result. Blenheim Vineyards and Fine […]

Five dishes that will make a vegetarian feel loved

Eating out as a vegetarian can be disappointing, to say the least. While joints like GRN Burger and Botanical Fare have dedicated entire menus to tasty vegetarian and vegan eats, many restaurants only offer a token vegetarian dish. So for those who are tired of the seasonal vegetable plate, grain bowl, and mushroom risotto, we […]

What’s for dinner?

Charlottesville loves to eat. With a restaurant scene that prides itself on punching above its weight class, there is no shortage of options when an out-of-towner asks me the obligatory “where should we eat?” question. That list of options has evolved over the years, taking stock of the ever-changing landscape. The following is a highlight […]

Pick: Thankful Dead

Get ahead of the gravy boat by dancing your ass off at the Thanksgiving eve jam band party Thankful Dead. Grateful Dead tribute band Bigfoot County puts a unique spin on the Dead’s songs while staying true to its spirited jams. Sisters & Brothers, led by vocalists Andy Tichenor and Davina Jackson, draws from the […]

Pick: Elf, The Musical

Journey to the Candy Cane Forest, past the sea of twirly-swirly gumdrops, and through the Lincoln Tunnel at Four County Players’ production of Elf: The Musical. The beloved story of Buddy the Elf comes to life with laugh-out-loud humor and plenty of festive music, including songs like “Sparklejollytwinklejingley” and “Nobody Cares About Santa,” because the […]