Brasserie is back: Four-star GM reopens the popular downtown restaurant

As the coronavirus continues to keep people inside, local restaurant devotees have been on edge, fearing the worst for many establishments’ ability to survive the slowdown in traffic that has befallen all businesses. One popular spot has some encouraging news: Rather than closing as planned, Brasserie Saison has cautiously reopened with a new general manager, […]

PICK: Create & Critique

Shapes and sizes: Ever wondered how to use a stencil to best effect? Don’t even know what a stencil is or does? In Lou Haney’s two-part virtual workshop, Create & Critique, you’ll learn innovative processes for creating your own stencils and how to use them in different contexts, such as paintings, textiles, and other artistic […]

Eyes to the sky: Young birders build their skills

Dusk. A cold fitful breeze. Quiet except for our footfalls on dry leaves. Far above, a hawk glides, dark against the twilight sky. “Cooper’s,” says Theo after a swift glance. Theo is leading our group along the Rivanna Trail in search of woodcocks. It’s sunset in spring—courting time. Theo picks a spot on the border […]

In their own backyards

“Phenology” might not be a word you use in everyday conversation, but it’s one of the keys to tracking climate change. The term refers to the study of timing in the natural world—the dates when plants flower, leaves emerge, seeds drop, and animals migrate. The USA National Phenology Network is building a stable of citizen […]

PICK: You Don’t Say! Happy Hour

Can’t beat it: Learning is a side effect during Wintergreen Music’s (drinking) game show, You Don’t Say! Happy Hour: Musician Trivia & Humor. In weekly virtual gatherings, Artistic Director Erin Freeman welcomes a variety of musicians to a panel that challenges the audience while regaling them with “zany tales of broken instruments, enchanted harps, and […]

Getting creative: Charlottesville’s dining scene continues to expand and evolve

Brewing up something new Champion Hospitality Group, an arm of Champion Brewing, recently announced a new concept for the Downtown Mall’s Commonwealth Restaurant & Skybar space. CHG will lead the project as majority owners, while still working with the restaurant’s original owners on a Baja-Mediterranean concept. The menu comes from chef Phil Gerringer, and the […]