South of the border

The church of rock and roll was built on the remains of just about every other church that came before it. But somehow, the great rock tradition of mining the music of alien cultures—from slave music to traditional Appalachian music—has mostly kept north of the border. That’s why Simon & Garfunkel’s “El Condor Pasa,” a […]

Snowed under

Find this at Market Street Market (400 E. Market St., 293-3478) for $3.75. Like weather for chocolate While history attributes the earliest use of chocolate to the Mayans in 5 AD, the Aztecs in Mexico began using it widely as food and currency in 1200 AD. By mixing ground cacao beans, spices and water with […]

Small Bites: Restaurant News

Delivery, made easy There’s no dearth of delivery options ’round these parts, but one creative brain has posed the question: What if there were more? C8RCAB, a new web-based service from Buffalo Wild Wings Manager Frank Becker, will offer to-your-door food from restaurants currently without a delivery option. The business is still working on enlisting […]

Going halfsies

It may seem strange to sing the praises of the half-bottle when tables for two will fill every restaurant this Monday. But, while some find Valentine’s Day the perfect occasion to share a bottle of wine with your dining partner, it just won’t be enough for some of us. At 750 ml, the standard bottle […]

Art in place

Thanks to Marina Abramovic’s sweeping retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York last year, 2010 was in some ways the year that performance art entered the public awareness. “The Artist is Present” greeted viewers with shocking images: A totally nude woman, and clearly in pain, balanced on a thin seat that jutted […]

Super bowls

Where’s the beef? All beans vs. no beans, Cincinnati vs. Texas, or spaghetti vs. rice. Chili lovers unite and divide over this one-pot-wonder, but the biggest debate will always be about the meat. Here’s a look at some of chili’s different in-“carne”-ations.   Good and plentiful: Spice up your Super Bow party with a bowl […]

Going with the grain

Going with the grain If there’s one thing Matt Monson and his wife Katherine Younger can attribute to their upcoming business venture, Great Harvest Bread Co., it’s Monson’s quest for the perfect sandwich. An avid baker, he began making bread at home before getting a job with Great Harvest in Charlotte, North Carolina. Soon after, […]

Super Bowl snacks and wines

I don’t like football, but I love to eat and respect any sport whose season culminates in a party starring cheesy, salty snacks with alcohol to wash them down. I like beer, but often find myself getting too full too fast when I drink it. And, with 15-minute quarters lasting at least twice as long, […]

February 2011: Green Scene

Trees in the garden Want mulch for your walkways or plantings that’s not only green, but free? How about mulch that contains the ghost of Christmas past? You’re in luck: Albemarle County creates exactly that by chipping discarded Christmas trees. Collection of trees took place until the middle of last month (and by the way, […]

February 2011: Your Abode

$1,044, Kane Furniture 1200 W. Main St., 296-5594 Like Sunday morning …Or Thursday evening, Saturday afternoon, or sleepless Tuesday nights. If it’s going to be the seat that calls to you anytime you need comfort, it’ll have to be easy indeed. Look for one you can spend hours in; one roomy enough to hold deep […]