Free Will Astrology: Week of December 17

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21): In 2013, I pledge to conspire with you to achieve more mixtures, connections, accords, and unifications than you ever thought possible. I will furthermore be a fount of suggestions about how you can live well in two worlds. I will coach you to create a peace treaty with your evil twin […]

Wine, whiskey, and a Mayan send-off: This week’s restaurant news

Whisky’d away Just in time for holiday shopping, Virginia Highland Malt whisky, from the Virginia Distillery Company, arrived in 80 Virginia ABC stores earlier this month. Grab a bottle of this local offering, which the press release notes has “a lovely acacia honey and ginger flavor from the Scottish whisky with the added notes of […]

The family that texts together, stays together!

In the modern world, nothing magnifies the ever-expanding geographies that separate our families like the holiday season; thankfully technology is bridging that gap. Text, video, and good ol’ fashioned conversation warms hearts and keeps us grounded during the holidays. And let’s face it, your mom’s going to love to hear from you, get photos of […]

Five Finds on Friday: Angelo Vangelopoulos of Ivy Inn

On Fridays, we and The Charlottesville 29 feature five finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  This week’s picks come from Angelo Vangelopoulos, chef and owner of Ivy Inn.  Vangelopoulos’ picks: 1)  Nachos at Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie.  “It’s the first thing that comes to mind when I decide to make the trip to North […]

The ‘first foodie’, Thomas Jefferson, was also a beer pioneer

Like many of us normal folk, Thomas Jefferson enjoyed beer with his dinner. Like others of us, Jefferson enjoyed beer enough to learn how to make it himself at home. He was also wise enough to initially learn the art he performed during his brewdays from his literal alewife, Martha Jefferson. His success with brewing […]

The lost art of the dinner party: Let’s bring it back!

I find few things more exciting than being invited to someone’s home for a dinner party. Not a potluck or cocktail party, but a sit-down soirée with mixed company and food cooked and served by someone other than me. It’s a generous act of yore that seems now to be endangered if not entirely extinct. […]

Free Will Astrology: Week of December 10

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21): For the last six decades of his life, Pablo Picasso created art that was adventurous and experimental. He didn’t invent abstract painting, but he was instrumental in popularizing it. And yet in his early years he was a master of realism, and had an impressive ability to capture the nuances of […]

Wine, gifts, and the return of Caffe Bocce: This week’s restaurant news

Wine dinner is served Join Jeff Meyers, vice president and general manager of Terra d’Oro winery in Amador County, California, for a wine dinner at the Ivy Inn on Tuesday, December 11. Chef Angelo Vangelopoulos will serve up five courses paired with (mostly) Italian varietal wines. Selections include Barbera, Sangiovese, and the School House Zinfandel, […]