Enough is enough: The importance of spaying and neutering

“So, is it really necessary to… you know?” asks the anxious new puppy owner as he unwittingly extends two fingers of his free hand into the form of scissors. The short answer? Yes. Yes, it really is. And for so many reasons. Here’s the sad truth: There are literally millions of homeless dogs and cats […]

To the trade: Furniture restorer Michael Keith is into details

Do you respect wood? Michael Keith does. A master of old-world craftsmanship, Keith is a furniture maker and restorer of the highest mark. Passionate about the details and intent on preserving the original integrity of antiques, his is an art based upon labored hours in his workshop/studio. Your first exposure to old-world craftsmanship occurred when […]

Winter wonder: Color the cold with camellias

The camellia is an all-around surprising plant. First of all, this evergreen actually blooms in, of all seasons, winter. Autumn-flowering camellias bloom from November through mid-January. And while spring-blooming camellias aren’t supposed to put out flowers until March or April, “last winter and this winter they’re already blooming” by the third week of January, said […]

Do you Need to Sign a Buyer Broker Agreement Before Seeing a House?

  Last year’s revision of the Virginia Agency Law brought some clear changes to the practice of single agent dual agency (one agent “representing” both parties in a transaction). What it also brought is some confusion about the actual home buying process and when buyer broker agreements need to be signed – and by whom. […]

Honey, let’s go out: Cheap dates for cheapskates

The cheap date is a tricky proposition. But there are ways to cut corners without necessarily revealing yourself for the broke-ass bounder that you really are. Despite the holdover notion that some here in central Virginia cleave to—the idea that we live in some bastion of Southern rectitude—you needn’t occupy your mind with chivalric conceits. […]

Feel the love: 10 couples we can’t get enough of

What’s love got to do with it? For these 10 couples, everything. Most of them say they knew right away that they’d found “the one,” but it’s what comes after—the day to day experience of being with someone who bites his nails, leaves dirty clothes outside the hamper, and never turns off any lights in […]

Crazy 8s, pop-up ramen, and a fresh face: This week’s restaurant news

Nick Crutchfield may not hail from Charlottesville originally (Tidewater is his home), but he’s no stranger to these parts. Best bartender in C-VILLE’s 2012 Best of readers’ poll, you’ll find him shakin’ things up at Commonwealth Restaurant & Skybar. Lately, he’s been working on an inventive new cocktail menu (64 drinks total!) that rivals any […]

Clean and polished: Form meets function in an updated ranch kitchen

For Beth and Michael Wertheim, Charlottesville’s real estate website CAAR is an all-too-tempting destination. Since moving here in 2002, the couple has lived in four different houses, and are now on their fifth. “We actually never thought we would get into renovating or flipping houses so much. Each time we moved we thought, ‘Well this […]

Five Finds on Friday: Brice Cunningham of Tempo

On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  This week’s picks come from Brice Cunningham, the Paris-born chef who once co-owned Fleurie and Petit Pois, and now owns Tempo, serving “modern French cuisine with an international twist.”  On Tuesdays, Tempo offers a great deal called Champagne and Burgers.  Buy one […]