The best local bars for each drinking decade

By Pen + Knife bloggers eatdrink@c-ville.com For generations, authorities have buried the lede when warning us about alcohol killing brain cells. Omitted from the tired mantra is the truth that some of our deepest seeds of wisdom are sewn at watering holes and colored by booze. Bars are like classrooms, just more practical, and the […]

Cream of the crop: We dairy you to try this soft-serve

By Sam Padgett It only takes hearing a few notes of ubiquitous ice cream truck jingles such as “Turkey in the Straw,” “Pop Goes the Weasel” and “Do Your Ears Hang Low?” to make most people salivate (we know it’s not just us). Although food trucks have evolved beyond their creamy origins to include tacos, […]

CSAs offer benefits for farms and consumers

To-may-toes. To-mah-toes. ’Maters. No matter what you call them, if you want to be slicing into the freshest ones around come summer, you’ll want to sign up to participate in community-shared agriculture. And now’s the time to do so. The community-shared agriculture (or CSA) model of farming, which developed in North America in the 1980s, […]

Tavola bartenders are rocking national competitions

Two of Tavola’s bartenders are shaking up national drinks-related competitions. Bar manager Steve Yang was named one of 12 regional finalists in the United States Bartenders’ Guild’s annual World Class bartending competition. “Qualifying is both humbling and terrifying,” Yang says of going shaker-to-shaker with some of the best bartenders in the country. An expert panel […]

LIVING Picks: Week of March 7-13

FAMILY Caromont Farm open house Thursday, March 8 Stop by Caromont Farm for a tour, to browse the pop-up shop selling cheese-centric items, and—the main attraction—baby goat snuggling. Reserve slots in advance to spend quality time with the kids. $10 (ages 4 and under free), 11am-4pm. Caromont Farm, 9261 Old Green Mountain Rd., Esmont. 831-1393. […]

Getting the scoop on a new ice cream trend

By Sam Padgett A new restaurant—J-Petal—has rolled into Barracks Road Shopping Center. And although the eatery offers both savory and sweet Japanese rice flour crêpes, and even serves drinks such as green tea and mojitos in a light bulb, its flashiest menu item is surely the Thai rolled ice cream. Rolled ice cream is pretty […]

LIVING Picks: Week of February 28-March 6

Family Mad Hatter’s Murder Mystery Escape Room Friday, March 2 Teens in grades seven to 12 are invited to search for clues and crack a series of locks to escape from the Mad Hatter’s tea party. Light refreshments served. Free, 6:30-8pm. Crozet Library, 2020 Library Ave., Crozet. 823-4050. Nonprofit Liberation & Freedom Day celebration Saturday, […]

Thoroughly Vetted: Dogs and cats have an extra eyelid

At a glance, you wouldn’t even know it’s there. Dogs and cats appear to have the same two eyelids that we do. But look closer, especially if you find your pet half asleep, and you might catch a glimpse of their third eyelid. Properly called the nictitans, it’s a pink sheet of tissue that stretches […]

Lampo team primed for steakhouse opening in former bank space

The owners of Lampo, the cozy Neapolitan pizzeria in Belmont, first started conceptualizing the idea of a local-farm-centered steakhouse after hearing from area producers that they were frustrated with the distribution process. Enter Prime 109, a steakhouse bent on highlighting products from three cornerstone farms, which is slated to open in May in the former […]

Changes ahead for Market Street Wineshop

After 31 years of selling wine, fresh bread, cheese and more at Market Street Wineshop from the basement level of 311 E. Market St., Robert Harllee has decided to retire. But fear not; Charlottesville is not about to lose another jewel from its quirky downtown crown: Two of Harllee’s longtime employees, Siân Richards and Thadd […]