Have you ever really stopped and listened to lyrics like those in Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” or Jason Derulo’s “Talk Dirty?” It’s startling when you hear some of the words that kids sing today. But that’s where programs like Mobile Music Mission come in. As a local company that lets kids become a part of […]
John D’earth was about 4 when his father—“a great listener, but not a musician”—taught him an important lesson about making music. He was at his grandmother’s house. He toddled over to the piano, climbed onto the bench, and started pounding away. He was having fun, just enjoying the noise of it, but he could hear […]
Most kids use their Wii remotes to race cars or battle bad guys while playing games on their TV. C’erra Rhodes uses hers to teach other middle school-age girls how to solder metal. The 13-year-old created a “Wiimote” as a project through Computers4Kids in Charlottesville, an organization that teaches tech skills to middle and high […]
For me, parenting is often about managing my own expectations. I get all fired up about some idealized vision I concoct, then struggle with the way the reality is inevitably messier, louder, smellier, whinier…more real. Have you ever seen the site pinterestfail.com? It showcases pictures of beautifully photographed, adorable projects side-by-side with user-submitted photos of […]
Look up in the trees when you’re having coffee on the Downtown Mall this June. Note the Budgett’s Frog facing off with the Green Tree Python, mouths agape, outside of the Nook. Check out the Indian Rhinoceros, the Golden snub-nosed monkey, the Sulawesi Crested Macaque and the Matchie’s Kangaroo. The larger-than-life animal images on the […]
Drive twelve miles west from Charlottesville and you’ll find Crozet, a quaint village and a popular residential area surrounded by gorgeous mountain scenery. One of Albemarle County’s fastest growing areas, Crozet features the walking community of Old Trail and a growing number of other subdivisions where residents can experience a relaxed country lifestyle and still […]
Every season, more people are becoming fans of farmers markets, counting them as genuine quality-of-life enhancements in their communities. In fact, Virginia has nearly 250 across the commonwealth and quite a few of them are in the seven-county area around Charlottesville. “I’m really proud of our City Market,” says Charlottesville REALTOR ® Cynthia Viejo, an […]
Volunteers are a valued part of our society and our economy. In 2012, the Corporation for National and Community Service reported that 64.5 million Americans volunteered a total of 7.9 billion hours, which had an estimated economic value of $175 billion. In Charlottesville, an online survey conducted by CAAR (Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS) found […]
Pride. In all, Madison is known not so much by “schools” as by educational families – students surrounded by caring, thoughtful parents and community members who expect graduates to have earned a top-notch education. Our students attend Virginia and the nation’s top schools and enter the workforce exceptionally well prepared. This great feat is accomplished […]
The natural beauty of our area attracts many different individuals and families looking for vacation properties where they can enjoy our region’s many recreational activities or hide away in a quiet place and retreat from the noise and distractions of a busy lifestyle. Some prefer a cabin in the woods while others choose a home in […]