I am going to tell you a bunch of stories about killing and death, but the first one is a story about a story. It was short, and my neighbor was the storyteller. He told it to my husband John and me 12 years ago, the first time we met him. After hello, his very […]
I am going to tell you a bunch of stories about killing and death, but the first one is a story about a story. It was short, and my neighbor was the storyteller. He told it to my husband John and me 12 years ago, the first time we met him. After hello, his very […]
We thought summer was a time to relax. Not afraid to admit it—we were wrong. Restaurant openings, the arrival of a hot new chef, a unique Parisian-style wine-and-food event, and the return of a familiar player on the Charlottesville scene show that there’s no time like the present to charge ahead. Never mind the heat. […]
From the mountains of Wintergreen to the valley where Scottsville sits, the Charlottesville area is exploding with Independence Day celebrations. Bonus: Since July 4 falls on a Thursday this year, party time stretches out over a long weekend. What this means is that, in addition to barbecuing in your local park or backyard, you can […]
Route 29 is infuriating, thick with careening cars or just plain clogged with traffic. Route 29 is a sweltering asphalt jungle of sad strip malls, tacky hotels, and gaudy fireworks tents. Go ahead, bash it. Route 29 won’t mind. Because you need Route 29. You need to fill up with gas, get groceries at Trader […]
Such a deal! Sometimes it’s fun to be a tourist in your own backyard. The Clifton—a top-notch boutique hotel that deftly pulls off the traditional-meets-modern thing—is offering a package that might be tempting enough to keep you close to home. Book a room on a Monday or Tuesday night through August 31, and receive a […]
By Meg Irvin Certain dishes and meals around town are elusive—available only during particular hours, on a specific day of the month, or exclusively by request. But with a little planning—and some insider info—you can indulge in these delicious off-the-radar items, from a New England staple to a belly-filling hangover cure. Most regulars at Ace […]
How does a new restaurant get away with having just six items on the menu? By making all of them very, very well. What you’ll get at the Soul Food Joint is crispy-battered fried chicken, fall-off-the-bone ribs, tender-as-a-lullaby pulled pork, simmered-to-perfection collards, boy-oh-boy baked mac & cheese, and deviled eggs better than the ones your […]
Think back to third grade. You might remember learning multiplication tables, memorizing vocabulary words, or a brief, possibly confusing poetry unit. The third graders of Free Union Country School might remember something a little different-—sitting down for a conversation with a community leader. Blair Amberly, the Free Union third grade teacher, matched all 14 of […]
Join Thomas Jefferson—aka Bill Barker, the new T.J. impersonator—for local wine, beer, and picnic fare from Farm Table, on June 14 on the west lawn of the presidential plantation. Monticello is always a beautiful place to visit, but at twilight, with an adult beverage in hand, you may gain a new perspective. (Hell, Barker may […]
When Will Brockenbrough walks across the sloping, wide-planked floors of his grain mill in Nelson County, he’s stepping through 225 years of history. Built in 1794, the mill was then a crucial link in the local farm economy, using water power derived from the Piney River to stone-grind grain from nearby fields. On this late-spring […]