We Ate Here

Dr. Ho’s is its own little universe down there in North Garden. It’s packed, for example, on Tuesday nights, and one gets a sense of a close-knit world that embraces both sides of the counter. We stopped in after work for takeout—nothing fancy, just a large pizza with garlic, tomato and beef—and were comforted not […]

Car talk

I am not in the habit of hawking the commercial sites of major companies. But times are so tough that I am even feeling a little pain for The Man, and don’t feel as bad about giving AutoZone a shout-out as I might have in the past. Plus, AutoZone has a pretty great website. Especially […]

Re-examining the AVAs of Virginia

Have you ever noticed the word “Monticello” printed on the label of your favorite Virginia wine? “Christ,” you probably thought, “is there anything around here that man hasn’t gotten his clutches on?” Well, no, but the use of “Monticello” on the label does not mean that the wine is made at TJ’s house. Monticello is […]

February 2009: Around the House

Worthy of your best clock We love this old mantelpiece we spotted at Partridge & Grace—it’s got a massive feel that would bring gravitas to any room. Display only your most flattering family photos on this baby. Not your mother’s how-to Are you “sophisticated froufrou”? “Rustic zen”? Whatever, baby, come on in. Open up Domino: […]

February 2009: A world apart

It’s what any artist or writer would kill for: a separate space in which to work, but one that requires no commute at all. A space that’s convenient, but allows no distraction. “I wanted it to be comfortable but not too comfortable,” says Sharon Shapiro about her painting studio. In other words, the perfect balance. […]

February 2009: Green Scene

  The fruits and the bees February and March look like great months for those of you who like raising food in all its forms. First of all, there’s a beekeeping course through the Central Virginia Beekeepers Association, February 5, 12, 19 and 26, from 7-9pm. You pay $25 for lots of apicultural wisdom, plus […]

February 2009: Get Real

Nice and roomie For many of us, the word “roommate” was weaned from our vocabularies some time after college and before marriage. But thanks to the housing crisis and job layoffs, some homeowners who thought their roomie days were long behind them now find themselves considering such an arrangement in order to keep up with […]

February 2009: Eyecatchers

Don’t judge a book… Location: Charlottesville Price: $344,900 MLS#: 450920 Ladies and gentlemen, this one’s got character: Start at the front and you’d never guess that an attached greenhouse puts some BAM in the back. With three bedrooms, two baths, and a more than respectable 2,585 square feet, this demure Cape Cod might come across […]

February 2009: D.I.Y. Diary

We did our level best, but the results were less than level. Next time around, we broke down and hired a drywaller. We are more than a little proud of our D.I.Y. ethic, but on a couple of occasions, we’ve taken the big step of admitting that we’d be better off hiring someone for a […]