Top of the Hops Beer Festival sells out for the first time

The third annual Top of the Hops Beer Festival took place last Saturday, September 22, and a record crowd descended on the Downtown Mall, packing the walkways and breaking a new record by selling out the Ntelos Wireless Pavilion. Lines wrapped around the mall, heading east and west trying to get everyone inside the door. Once inside, festival goers […]

Our craft distillery movement is resurging by leaps and barrels

We’re fifth in the nation for wine production and are one of the Travel Channel’s Top 7 beer destinations in North America, so it only makes sense that Virginia’s jumping on the craft distillery bandwagon. And it’s moving at a pretty good clip considering that America went from having 14,000 distilleries at the start of […]

Big ass salads: Large and in charge

There are those salads that make you feel deprived the minute you order them. And then there are those salads that make no apologies, satisfying like a steak and potatoes. They’re of generous size and chock full of delicious (and not necessarily healthy) ingredients. We call them Big Ass Salads and we love them. These […]

Free Will Astrology: Week of September 24

Libra (September 23-October 22): The German poet and philosopher Friedrich von Schiller liked to have rotting apples in his desk drawer as he worked; the scent inspired him. Agatha Christie testified that many of her best ideas came to her while she was washing dishes. As for Beethoven, he sometimes stimulated his creativity by pouring […]

Small Bites: This week’s restaurant news

The hills are alive Enjoy a four-course family-style dinner paired with Barboursville wines amidst the vineyards’ very vines on Sunday, September 30 at 5pm. Palladio’s Melissa Close-Hart teams up with chef husband, Matthew Hart from The Local, at this $100 dinner organized by Hill & Holler. Visit hillandholler.org/events.php to reserve. Proceeds benefit the Scottsville Center of Arts […]

A back-to-school wine quiz to test your vinous knowledge

Summer’s on its way out and with it go the breezy drinks that require little more thought than “what time is it anyway?” Let’s brush up a bit on the beverage that makes adulthood and the return to routine much more bearable. 1. What are the by-products of wine’s fermentation process? a) Sugar and vinegar […]

Beet it: Getting to the root of this fall favorite

For those of you out there who don’t like beets, you’re missing out. Since many a beet-hater’s distaste comes from having first tried them in a can (instead of raw or roasted), it’s time to try again, but this time, without holding your nose closed. Beets’ hues range from ruby red to gold to pink-and-white […]

How to drink in Top of the Hops like a brewmeister

This Saturday, September 22, the 3rd annual Top of the Hops Festival descends upon the Ntelos Wireless Pavilion, and beer lovers like yours truly rejoice! Dozens of fantastic craft beers from all over the world will be available for tasting, and forecasts show temps in the mid-70s and clear skies. All signs point to a fantastic sunny and beer-soaked […]

Free Will Astrology: Week of September 17

Virgo (August 23-September 22): Want to submit a letter to the editor of a major newspaper? The odds of you getting published in the influential Washington Post are almost three times as great as in the super-influential New York Times. The Post has a much smaller circulation, so your thoughts there won’t have as wide […]