Deck the garden with half a dozen stars to ornament the darkest days of winter. In the pared-down landscape between first and last freezes, when contrasts are sharp, displays of flower, form and color take on a significance lost in the lushness of summer. If you don’t already have these beauties in your lineup, add […]
In urban design, decisions about road lanes, sidewalk widths and shade trees affect the rhythm of use in outdoor spaces—transportation and commerce, social activity, traffic, safety, recreation and even public health are determined by these choices. Urban planners have long been using the catchphrase “live, work, play” to describe an idyllic mixture of programming, but […]
Practice makes perfect. It’s an adage for a reason—the more you do something, the more comfortable with it and adept at it you become. That was architect Bob Anderson’s thinking, anyway, when, as an 8-year-old, he saw an illustration of Albrecht Dürer’s wood carving of a rhinoceros from 1515. “I fell in love with it […]
Heated floors are less popular than they used to be, according to local builders, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still have their place. “In this climate it’s not economically real feasible as a primary heat source,” says Wayne Stinnette, vice president of Abrahamse & Company Builders. But “you see a lot of in-floor heating […]
It’s a special opportunity to hear a luminary speak in person, but for Kat Imhoff, president of James Madison’s Montpelier, it’s a shame to hear those words evaporate without being captured in a recording. Like, say, when Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice, spoke to a group of […]
When it comes to designing a room, often the advice is to start with something you love (a rug, a piece of art—anything) and work from there, layering pattern and texture to achieve a dynamic space. But every project is different, says Nina Crawford, and no two clients are the same. “My favorite customer is […]
While it’s important to be generous year-round, the holidays provide parents with an opportune time to teach kids about giving back, either by donating their time or goods to those in need. Here are some local ways to help out this season, from food-delivery to gift-wrapping. By Shea Gibbs and Wistar Murray Better together Mature teens […]
Charlottesville is fortunate to boast a rich local theater scene with myriad opportunities to get involved. Theatrical training is worthwhile even if you don’t have stars in your eyes; but for kids hungry for that theater life, growing up on C’ville’s stages provides the training and support they need to take their next steps. Read […]
Mountaintop Montessori’s new head of school, Patricia Colby, has spent most of her adult life working in education. From South America to California to New York, Colby’s journey to Charlottesville has been long and fascinating. After completing her undergrad work at the University of Houston, the Venezuela native pursued a doctoral degree in social psychology […]
Age 6 months: Finally sleeps through night. Age 9 months: Stops sleeping through night. Age 1: Finally sleeps through night. I mean, sometimes? Age 1.5: Can eat all allergen foods. Wait, except peanuts. No, wait, do you now introduce those before 1? Gah. Age 2: Potty trained. Just kidding. Age 3: Preschool! Everyone in household […]