UVA men’s basketball

It’s been a tough start to the season for UVA men’s basketball. Following the unexpected  departure of longtime head coach Tony Bennett, the Cavaliers have been defeated by every ranked opponent they’ve played under interim Head Coach Ron Sanchez. The good news? Tickets to watch the team are now more widely available, and there’s still […]

Asked and answered

We’ll put just about anyone in The HotSeat—visiting performers, interesting professionals, local tastemakers—as long as they don’t mind answering a few of our hard-hitting questions (asking about a go-to Bodo’s order is the height of journalism, folks). Here are a few of our favorite answers from 2024.  Grad student/lecturer Chandler Jennings Most embarrassing moment: A […]

The sport of queens

A delightful side effect of writing this column is that people in my life now give me ideas based on their bucket lists and more obscure interests. When a friend said she’d always wanted to try falconry and asked if I would join her, “Heck yeah!” was my nigh-instant response. Like many wheezy, middle-aged folks, […]

Local therapists and researchers take on psych’s buzziest topic

Renee Branson considered herself a resilient person. She suffered a sexual assault in her late teens but soldiered on. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Ohio State University and a master’s in counseling psychology at the University of Colorado Denver. She built an outwardly happy home life and went into business helping others overcome their […]

Pull! A tale of sporting clays

Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated with the idea of shooting skeet. I must’ve seen it in a Bugs Bunny cartoon or something. My father liked hunting, and to varying degrees, family members enjoyed the venison from his efforts. I grew up around guns and, therefore, grew up with a healthy respect for them. During grad […]

Two horse-lovers mobilize social media to save animals from slaughter

Colby’s Crew started with one horse and one decision from the heart. Colby, a 4-year-old chestnut stallion with white markings, had run out of options. Allison (Ally) Smith, an experienced equestrian studying nursing and training horses on the side, saw an online post about him: “Bound for slaughter. Needs experienced handler.” “He was flashy and […]

Local funny (business) man’s comedy evolves

A few years ago, Abhishek Kulkarni was just a guy getting a business degree who dabbled in comedy. Now, he’s a local open mic mainstay who’s learned to work a crowd. “Initially, I was writing a lot of new content for the U.S. audience, so I would go like three weeks of telling the same […]

Albemarle County Fair

Come poke around at the Albemarle County Fair where animals, agriculture, crafts, and live music provide entertainment over three days. Get in a country mood with a performance by Tommy Wood, and line up for eats at one of the many food trucks or stands (because what’s a fair without funnel cake?)! Flaunt the best […]

Life, liberty, and the Women at Monticello Tour

Straight out of the gate, I must acknowledge this wasn’t a fair test. Almost a decade ago (where has the time gone?), I worked at Monticello for roughly seven years. My last few roles were Martha-of-many-trades jobs, doing everything from loading buses and giving tours to helping with events and addressing guest feedback. Not surprisingly, […]

July 4th at Monticello

As our country celebrates its collective independence, Charlottesville has the additional honor of welcoming new citizens into the nation at July 4th at Monticello. The historic home’s West Portico transforms into an open-air Naturalization Ceremony where the Oath of Citizenship to become an American is issued to dozens of deserving individuals. This year’s keynote address […]